Intervention to Improve Parent Communication About Sexuality

July 13, 2026 updated by: University of Pennsylvania
The study is centered on helping parents answer and meet the sexuality-specific questions and needs of gay or bisexual males. This study seeks to test the efficacy of Parents ASSIST as a parent-child sexuality communication intervention that educates and trains parents to be purveyors of inclusive health information as gay or bisexual sons come of age at home.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Parental acceptance after youth come out as gay or bisexual is a protective factor for the health of this youth group; however, parents lack support in initiating and sustaining sexuality discussions inclusive of their teens' attractions, behaviors and identities. Thus, in the absence of skills and supports, adolescents' and parents' mental health, health behaviors and overall family functioning tend to be negatively impacted after sons come out as gay or bisexual. The overall objective of this study is to test the efficacy of Parents ASSIST (Advancing Supportive and Sexuality Inclusive Sex Talks), a sexuality communication intervention for parents, after youth disclose gay or bisexual identities. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial with parent and gay or bisexual youth dyads (N=476) to establish the efficacy of Parents ASSIST as a hybrid 5-session online intervention that educates parents about germane sexuality-specific topics and provide communication skills for family discussions. Our Specific Aims are to (1) determine whether Parents ASSIST enhances parent-adolescent sexuality communication quality (e.g. parent- and child-reported comfort) and quantity (e.g. frequency and range of topics discussed) compared to the control group, (2) establish whether Parents ASSIST results in decreases in mental health symptomology (e.g. depressive and anxiety symptoms) among parents and gay or bisexual youth, increases dyadic health behavior (e.g. accessing preventive health services, health screening behaviors), and improves family functioning (e.g. affective response, communication, general functioning) over 12 months of follow-up, and (3) examine how theory-based variables (e.g. attitudes and norms, self-efficacy and intentions to discuss sexuality with gay or bisexual child) mediate the intervention effects on adolescent and parent mental health, parent-adolescent health behavior and family functioning over time.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
476

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Recruiting
        • University of Pennsylvania
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Youth participants are:

  • identify as a cisgender sexual minority male (e.g., gay or bisexual)
  • be between ages 12-18 years
  • able to comprehend spoken English
  • resides in the United States
  • consents or assents to study participation

Parent participants are:

  • the parent, legal guardians, legal custodians (hereinafter "parent") of gay or bisexual adolescent
  • age 18 or older
  • able to comprehend spoken English
  • resides in the United States
  • consents to study participation
  • consents to their child's study participation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Intervention Arm
Parents randomized to receive the intervention (n=238) will be assigned to a 5-session online intervention that comprise 8-12 parents per cohort. They will register their profiles via our secure, password-protected Parents ASSIST website. Parents in the intervention arm will complete one session per week where they watch two videos focused on sexual health and family communication. They will also be asked to complete homework tasks with their GBQ child. GBQ adolescents will not be intervened upon directly; rather, we will instruct parents to engage their sons based on the information and skills learned weekly through the intervention.
Behavioral: Parents ASSIST
Parents ASSIST is a 5-session intervention where an interventionist will facilitate sessions that will include 8-12 parents per group. Each parent will have access to intervention content (e.g., videos, activities) across the i five synchronous sessions. Session I will focus on the issue of coming out and its impact on the family as well as on youth mental health. Session II centers on communication-based content. Sessions III and IV focuses on topic-centered content to address the knowledge gap parents have reported regarding general LGBTQ concerns and specific GBQ issues and builds on the communication skills learned in Session I. Session V provides a communication recap and focuses on how parents may have follow-up conversations. In between the sessions, asynchronous interactive homework assignments will be provided to review concepts learned in the previous sessions and to initiate joint activities between parents and GBQ youth.
Other Names:
  • Parents Advancing Supportive and Sexuality Inclusive Sex Talks
Active Comparator: Control Arm
Control group participants (n=238 parents) will be assigned to the health promotion arm and similarly asked to register into our secure Parents ASSIST study site but will be assigned to the control group educational resources: alcohol use, bullying, sleep hygiene, tobacco use, and body image issues. Individual participants will access via the website the videos on these non-sexual health focused conditions.
Behavioral: Parents ASSIST
Parents ASSIST is a 5-session intervention where an interventionist will facilitate sessions that will include 8-12 parents per group. Each parent will have access to intervention content (e.g., videos, activities) across the i five synchronous sessions. Session I will focus on the issue of coming out and its impact on the family as well as on youth mental health. Session II centers on communication-based content. Sessions III and IV focuses on topic-centered content to address the knowledge gap parents have reported regarding general LGBTQ concerns and specific GBQ issues and builds on the communication skills learned in Session I. Session V provides a communication recap and focuses on how parents may have follow-up conversations. In between the sessions, asynchronous interactive homework assignments will be provided to review concepts learned in the previous sessions and to initiate joint activities between parents and GBQ youth.
Other Names:
  • Parents Advancing Supportive and Sexuality Inclusive Sex Talks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Parent-Adolescent Communication Quality
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
The quality of sexuality-sensitive communication will be determined using the Family Sexuality Communication Quotient - a measure of a general family orientation to discussion about sexuality between parents and children; this is an 18-item scale with options (1-Strongly Agree to 5-Strongly Disagree). The first subscale on comfort measures the perceived degree of openness with which sexuality is discussed in the family (e.g., I feel free to ask my parents questions about sexuality). The second subscale on information measures perception of the amount of information learned and shared during discussions (e.g., I feel better informed about sexuality if I talk to my parents.) (18 items; alpha = .91)
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Parent-Adolescent Communication Quantity
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
The Parent- Teen Sexual Risk Communication Topic Scale will be adopted and used to measure the quantity of topics discussed. Participants are asked if they had ever discussed the topics with their child/parent, and if so, which ones. To measure quantity, sample questions would be "To what extent have you ever discussed any of the following topics with your mother/father?" Sample items: coming out/disclosure of sexual orientation, using a condom, peer pressure and sexual pressure from dating partners, penilevaginal or other types of intercourse. Response options: (1) none, (2) a little, (3) some, (4) a lot, or (5) extensive. (8 items; alpha = .85-.95)
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adolescent and Parent Mental Health (Depression)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
The PHQ-9 is a multipurpose instrument for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression. In addition to making criteria-based diagnoses of depressive disorders, the PHQ-9 is also a reliable and valid measure of depression severity. These characteristics plus its brevity make the PHQ-9 a useful clinical and research tool. This 9-item questionnaire lists varying depression symptoms and inquires about how much each depression symptom has been noted as bothersome within the past two weeks. Response options are: (0) not at all, (1) several days a week, (2) more than half the days, (3) nearly every day. (9 items; alpha = .95)
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Adolescent and Parent Mental Health (Anxiety)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
The GAD-7 is a valid and efficient tool for screening for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and assessing its severity in clinical practice and research. There was good agreement between self-report and interviewer-administered versions of the scale. This 7-item questionnaire lists varying anxiety symptoms and inquires about how much each symptom has been noted as bothersome within the past two weeks. Response options are: (0) not at all, (1) several days a week, (2) more than half the days, (3) nearly every day. (7 items; alpha = .92)
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Parent-Adolescent Health Behavior (Wellness Appointment)
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
We will measure successful setting up by both parent and GBQ child of screening appointments with an LGBTQ-competent provider during each follow-up survey. Three questions will asked: (1) Since the last survey, have you and your parent/GBQ child looked up LGBTQ-friendly health providers in your area? (Yes/No); (2) Since the last survey, have you and your parent/GBQ child made an appointment for a wellness appointment? (Yes/No); and (3) Since the last survey, have you and your parent/GBQ child seek out a healthcare provider to be screened for a sexually-transmitted infection? (Yes/No).
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Family Functioning
Time Frame: Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
The Family Assessment Device (FAD) is based on the McMaster Model of Family Functioning (MMFF), a clinically oriented conceptualization of families. It is a screening instrument consisting of 60-items. The model identifies seven dimensions of family functioning and this study will use the questions from three subscales (affective response, communication and general functioning). Response categories are as follows: strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. Scores range from 1 to 4 with 1 reflecting healthy functioning and 4 reflecting unhealthy functioning. (24 items; alpha = .92)
Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Pennsylvania

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dalmacio D Flores, PhD, University of Pennsylvania

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 30, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 15, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 13, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 856192 (24-1002)
  • R01HD111516 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Only statistical information for primary and secondary outcomes will be shared. Individual participant data will not be shared.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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