Adapting the ESTEEM Intervention to Improve Mental Health and PrEP Uptake Among Men at Risk of HIV (ESTEEM)

August 25, 2026 updated by: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
The purpose of this research study is to adapt, implement, and evaluate a 10-session mental health intervention with men who have sex with men at the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network to find out if it will reduce anxiety and depression and increase awareness and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication to prevent HIV.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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

This study will assess the preliminary effectiveness of the PrEPared Minds/ Mentes PrEParadas intervention. After randomizing English and Spanish-speaking men who have sex with men (MSM) to the cognitive behavioral therapy intervention or control group, the study team will conduct quantitative assessments (at baseline, 3-months, 6-months post intervention) and pre/post intervention in-depth interviews with MSM to assess preliminary effectiveness on depression, anxiety, and PrEP uptake. We will also use structural equation modeling to explore the pathways through which the adapted intervention influences mental health and PrEP uptake.

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.
80

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.

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Identify as a man who has sex with men
  • Able to speak, read, and write in Spanish or English
  • Never received and HIV diagnosis
  • Reports HIV acquisition risk in; by having confirmed any of the following in the past 6 months: (a) have had sex with a partner living with HIV; (b) have had sex with a partner whose HIV status was unknown to you; (c) have had anal sex without a condom; or (d) have been diagnosed with gonorrhea, chlamydia or syphillis
  • Not currently using PrEP as prescribed
  • Experiencing mild to moderate anxiety symptoms within the past 2 weeks, defined as a GAD-7 score of 5 - 14, on the GAD-7 anxiety screener or mild to moderate depressive symptoms within the past 2 weeks, defined as a PHQ-9 score of 5 - 14 on the depression screener

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe anxiety (≥15 on the GAD-7 screener), depression (≥ 15 on the PHQ-9 screener) or active suicidality
  • Reports minimal depression and anxiety symptoms, defined as both a GAD-7 score ≤ 4 and a PHQ-9 score ≤ 4.
  • Report of current or history of serious mental illness including but not limited to schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder or another psychotic disorder
  • Currently receiving mental health services (for more than 1 month)

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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
participants randomized to the intervention
Behavioral: PrEPared Minds/ Mentes PrEParadas - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
PrEPared Minds/Mentes PrEParadas is an adapted, bilingual (English/Spanish) affirmative cognitive behavioral intervention designed to improve mental health and promote HIV prevention. Intervention includes 10 one-hour sessions of skills-building cognitive behavioral therapy.
Active Comparator: Control Group
participants not receiving the intervention
Other: No Intervention
Participants do not receive PrEPared Minds/ Mentes PrEParadas intervention.

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
Depression Questionnaire- PHQ-9
Time Frame: Baseline
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-question self-report tool used to screen, diagnose, monitor, and measure the severity of depression. Total score range is 0-27 with higher score indicating higher severity of depression.
Baseline
Depression - PHQ-9 instrument
Time Frame: Month 3 Post Randomization
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-question self-report tool used to screen, diagnose, monitor, and measure the severity of depression. Total score range is 0-27 with higher score indicating higher severity of depression.
Month 3 Post Randomization
Depression - PHQ-9 instrument
Time Frame: Month 6 Post Randomization
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-question self-report tool used to screen, diagnose, monitor, and measure the severity of depression. Total score range is 0-27 with higher score indicating higher severity of depression.
Month 6 Post Randomization
Anxiety Questionnaire - GAD-7
Time Frame: Baseline
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a 7-item self-report questionnaire used to screen for generalized anxiety disorder and measure symptom severity. Total score range is 0-21 with higher score indicating higher severity of anxiety.
Baseline
Anxiety - GAD-7 instrument
Time Frame: Month 3 Post Randomization
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a 7-item self-report questionnaire used to screen for generalized anxiety disorder and measure symptom severity. Total score range is 0-21 with higher score indicating higher severity of anxiety.
Month 3 Post Randomization
Anxiety - GAD-7 instrument
Time Frame: Month 6 Post Randomization
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a 7-item self-report questionnaire used to screen for generalized anxiety disorder and measure symptom severity. Total score range is 0-21 with higher score indicating higher severity of anxiety.
Month 6 Post Randomization
PrEP Uptake
Time Frame: Baseline
Number of participants that self-report PrEp use
Baseline
PrEP Uptake
Time Frame: Month 3 Post Randomization
Number of participants that self-report PrEp use
Month 3 Post Randomization
PrEP Uptake
Time Frame: Month 6 Post Randomization
Number of participants that self-report PrEp use
Month 6 Post Randomization

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.
Wake Forest University Health Sciences

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.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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: Dirk Davis, PhD, MPH, Wake Forest University Health Sciences

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 (Estimated)

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.
September 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.
August 1, 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 1, 2028

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).
August 25, 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.
August 25, 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.
August 28, 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.
August 28, 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.
August 25, 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.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • IRB00121001
  • K01MH134676 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data that underlie results reported, after deidentification.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following publication

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Researchers whose proposed use of the data has been approved by an independent review committee identified for this purpose.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF

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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