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HivNCT05852600

Parent-focused Intervention to Reduce HIV Risk in Gay and Bisexual Adolescents

A study testing Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS) and Lead with Love (LWL) in people with Hiv and Sexual Health, run by George Washington University at 1 site in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

Gay and bisexual youth make up 80% of all new HIV infections among adolescents ages 14-19 in the United States, yet interventions to improve sexual health outcomes in these youth are extremely limited. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 14 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Hiv, Sexual Health
What is being tested?
Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS) and Lead with Love (LWL)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
393 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
24 Apr 2023to 1 Nov 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 14 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • We recruit only parent-adolescent dyads for the study. Both parent and adolescent must agree to participate in order to enroll. Only parents receive the intervention. Adolescents are included in the study only for assessment purposes.
  • Parent inclusion criteria: Parent or legal guardian of a child with all of the following characteristics:
  • cisgender male
  • age 14-19
  • self-identifies as gay or bisexual
  • lives in the same house with parent at least 2 days per week
Show all 13Show fewer
  • child is willing to enroll in the study and complete assessments
  • Adolescent inclusion criteria:
  • cisgender male
  • age 14-19
  • self-identifies as gay or bisexual
  • lives in the same house with parent at least 2 days per week
  • parent is willing to enroll in the study and be randomized to one of two intervention conditions.

Who cannot join

  • -- Adolescent with known HIV infection

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • George Washington University

    Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20052

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Randomized-controlled Trial of a Parent-focused Intervention to Reduce HIV Risk in Gay and Bisexual Adolescents

Gay and bisexual youth make up 80% of all new HIV infections among adolescents ages 14-19 in the United States, yet interventions to improve sexual health outcomes in these youth are extremely limited. Our team has developed an intervention -- Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS) -- to reduce HIV risk for gay and bisexual youth by working with their parents to improve the ways parents communicate with their sons about sexual health. The intervention is all completed by parents online and takes 45-60 minutes to complete. The goal of this study is to test whether PATHS helps improve sexual health among gay and bisexual male teens ages 14-19.

To do this 350 parent-adolescent dyads will be recruited online (50% of those dyads will be racial/ethnic minority). Parents will be randomized to receive either PATHS or a control (a film designed to general support parents of gay/bisexual youth). Parents and sons will then complete surveys every 3 months over a 1-year period. Families assigned to PATHS will be compared to families assigned to the film 6 months after the intervention. Then the families originally given the control film will receive PATHS, and all dyads will be followed for another 6 months. This allows us to test the effects of PATHS in the control arm (by comparing families' experiences in the 6 months before they received the PATHS to their experiences over the next 6 months). It also allows us to test whether families who originally received PATHS will continue to benefit 9 and 12-months after the intervention.

To assess sexual health, adolescents will complete self-report measures of their comfort using condoms, their access to condoms, their knowledge of the correct way to use a condom, their intentions to use condoms, their awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis as an HIV prevention method, and their attitudes toward PrEP. If they are sexually active, they will also report about their history of condom use during sex. Adolescents will also complete a video-recorded "condom demonstration" in which they will demonstrate the appropriate technique for applying a condom, using a real condom and a oval-shaped shampoo bottle. Finally, adolescents will self-report whether they have received an HIV test in the previous year, consistent with recommendations for gay and bisexual men by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Conditions
Hiv, Sexual Health
Being tested
Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS), Lead with Love (LWL)
Keywords
randomized controlled trial, parenting, sexual minority youth
Medical subject headings
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS)Behavioural

    PATHS is an intervention delivered to parents of AMSM that aims to increase parent communication about sexuality and HIV, as well as other parent behaviors supportive of sexual risk reduction. PATHS can all be accessed online, is self-paced, and typically takes parents 40-60 minutes to complete. The toolkit is comprised of 7 modules, covering a range of topics relevant to increasing parents' motivation, self-efficacy, and intention for communicating about sex. Material is presented in a variety of modalities (e.g., text, videos of experts, videos of other parents describing their experiences). Parents set personalized goals for themselves regarding activities and conversations they want to have with their sons, selecting from a menu of options provided by the intervention. One month later parents complete a "refresher" module that queries them about whether they have achieved their goals, and provides customized content to support the behaviors parents have yet to enact.

  • Lead with Love (LWL)Behavioural

    Lead with Love is a 35-minute "education entertainment" film created to provide support, information, and behavioral guidance to parents of lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) children. Drawing from stage-based models of behavior change, and social cognitive theory, it aims to help parents progress through the process of coming to accept their child's sexual orientation, recognizing the importance of their behaviors and reactions to their child's health, and accepting their child's sexual orientation, and engaging in behaviors that are more supportive and less rejecting. This is achieved by telling the true stories of four families and how they responded to the news that their child was LGB, and by having experts (psychologists, teachers, clergy) provide information and guidance. One month after watching LWL, parents return to the website to review "refresher" materials that summarize the most important lessons from the film.

Study groups in NCT05852600
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
InterventionExperimentalParticipants assigned to the intervention arm are immediately given the opportunity to view Lead with Love, and then to complete the PATHS toolkit. One month after completing PATHS, they complete a "refresher" module that is designed to boost the initial effects of PATHS.
Receives: Behavioral: Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS); Behavioral: Lead with Love (LWL)
Waitlist ControlActive comparatorParticipants assigned to the waitlist control arm are immediately given the opportunity to view Lead with Love. One month after viewing the film, they complete a "refresher" module that reviews the most important lessons from the film. Six months after being randomized, participants are then given access to the PATHS toolkit. One month after completing the PATHS toolkit, they complete a "refresher" module that is designed to boost the initial effects of PATHS.
Receives: Behavioral: Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS); Behavioral: Lead with Love (LWL)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in condom use self-efficacy

    15-item scale assessing youth's confidence in their ability to correctly use and acquire condoms.

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.

  2. Change in condom access

    Youth report (yes/no) whether they have a condom that they could access in one of five different locations (e.g., their bedroom, somewhere else in their home, their locker at school). Having a condom available in any of this locations will count as "access."

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.

  3. Change in condom use intentions

    Youth will complete two items assessing their intentions to use condoms for insertive and receptive anal intercourse over the next several months.

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.

  4. Change in PrEP attitudes and beliefs

    Youth will complete 10-items newly created for this study, assessing their attitudes and beliefs about PrEP (e.g., whether PrEP is safe, whether it is effective, whether their parents would support them taking PrEP). Prior to analyses, psychometric tests will be conducted on this new measure to determine whether the scale assesses a single construct, or multiple domains.

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.

  5. Frequency of condomless anal intercourse (CAS) without protection by PrEP

    Youth will self-report how frequently they have engaged in condomless anal intercourse over the past 3 months. They will also report whether they were using PrEP during that time. The frequency of anal intercourse not protected by a condom or by PrEP will be calculated.

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the total frequency of CAS reported across both the 3- and 6-month assessments.

  6. Youth self-report of being "current" on HIV testing

    Youth will report whether they have received an HIV test and when the most recent test occurred. Sexually active youth will be considered "current" on their HIV testing if they have received an HIV test at any point in the previous year. Youth who are not yet sexually active will be considered "current" if they have received one HIV test at any point in their lives.

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will whether youth are "current" on HIV testing at the 6-month assessment.

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Demonstrated behavioral skill for using condoms correctly

    We will utilize the condoms skills assessment activity as a means for verifying their self-reported self-efficacy for using condoms. While completing their 3-month and 9-month online assessments, AMSM will use an online scheduling system to sign up for a 30-minute appointment to do a condom skill assessment, which will be conducted via Zoom. Once scheduled, participants will be mailed an assessment kit that contains a travel shampoo bottle (phallically shaped) and condoms. Participants will be instructed to demonstrate the correct way to apply a condom to the shampoo bottle, beginning with opening the condom, and ending with removing and disposing of the condom. Following the session, recordings will be coded by two separate team members to determine the number of steps performed correctly (discrepancies will be resolved via discussion).

    Measured: Youth will complete this activity twice: (1) between the 3 and 6-month assessment, and (2) between the 9 and 12-month assessment. The activity conducted between 3 and 6-month assessments will be the primary outcome for this measure.

  2. Photo of condom in youth's possession

    While completing the 3, 6, 9, and 12-month online assessments, youth who self-report that they have condoms in their possession will be asked to take a photo of the condom in their hand and upload it to the survey system. Photos will viewed by members of the research team to confirm that a condom was photographed as requested. The proportion of youth who are able to upload photos across each condition will be used as a means for verifying the primary outcome of youth self-report of having access to condoms.

    Measured: Photo uploads at the 6-month assessment will be compared across the study arms

  3. Parent-report of whether son is "current" on his HIV testing

    Parents will report whether their son has, to their knowledge, received an HIV test and when that test occurred. This will be used as a reliability check for youth's self-reports of their HIV testing. Sexually active youth will be considered "current" on their HIV testing if they have received an HIV test at any point in the previous year. Youth who are not yet sexually active will be considered "current" if they have received one HIV test at any point in their lives.

    Measured: Parents will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be whether youth are "current" at the 6-month assessment.

  4. Change in competency for sexual health

    17-item scale assessing multiple dimensions of youth's comfort engaging in activities that support sexual health (e.g., telling a sex partner you want to stop after you have started having sex; teaching a sex partner what feels good to you sexually).

    Measured: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted10 May 2023
  2. Study start24 Apr 2023
  3. Primary completion1 Nov 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Nov 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
393 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05852600
Sponsor's protocol ID
MH129169
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
2 May 2023
Last updated
17 Feb 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Huebner DM, Baucom BR, Micucci S, Barnett AP, Matson M, Guilamo-Ramos V, Mackenzie J, Saber R. Testing a Web-Based Parent-Focused HIV Prevention Intervention for Gay and Bisexual Adolescents: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Jun 22;15:e81316. doi: 10.2196/81316.

    PubMed 42329680

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Parents and Adolescents Talking about Healthy Sexuality (PATHS) and Lead with Love (LWL) in people with Hiv and Sexual Health, run by George Washington University at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 13 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in condom use self-efficacy (time frame: Youth will complete this measure at baseline (pre-randomization) and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post randomization. The primary outcome will be the 6-month post-randomization assessment, adjusted for baseline values.). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05852600, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Feb 2026.

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