Using Implementation Intentions to Increase Safe Sex Practices in MSM

August 19, 2013 updated by: Ben Andrew, University of Sydney

Using Implementation Intentions to Increase Safe Sex Practices Among and Australian Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men

The purpose of this study is to assess the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior in predicting condom use among men who have sex with men. It also aims to assess the utility of two interventions, one known as "implementation intentions", the other involves the practice of a planning task known as "the tower of Hanoi", in increasing condom use in this population.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is two-fold. The first part of the study aims to assess the validity of a theory of health behaviour, known as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in predicting condom use in and Australian sample of men who have sex with men (MSM). The TPB states that a person's intention to use condoms is the best predictor of their actual condom use behaviour. The TPB indicates that intention is predicted by an individual's attitude towards condom use, whether they believe their family and friends feel that they should use condoms (known as "subjective norm"), and how much control the person feels that they have over condom use (known as perceived behavioral control). In order to measure this, participants will be asked to complete questions regarding their attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention towards condom use, and actual condom use behavior. It is expected that the TPB will be successful in predicting condom use in this population.

The second part of the study aims to assess whether two different interventions are effective in increasing condom use among men who have sex with men (MSM).

The first intervention is known as "implementation intentions" and asks that participants specify when, where and how they might increase their condom use in the future (e.g. by buying condoms). It is predicted that in making this plan that the likelihood of preparing to use condoms will increase as will actual condom use.

The second intervention asks participants to practice a task several times per week that is thought to improve planning ability. The task is known as "The Tower of Hanoi" which is a computer based program that requires participants to shift discs across three different pegs in and ordered and planned way. It is thought that this practice can improve an individual's planning ability. It is thought that this planning ability may then generalise to other tasks such as planning to use condoms. It is predicted that this intervention will increase actual condom use among this population.

A control group that receives no intervention will also be employed.

Measures of the TPB will be taken at baseline and three months after the interventions have taken place to assess any changes to the variables thought to predict condom use, and any changes in condom use behavior. It is expected that the the TPB variables will all increase in the intervention groups.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

180

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • Australia
    • New South Wales
      • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2010
        • The Albion Center

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men who have sex with men
  • Adults (over 18 years old)
  • Sexually active

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women
  • Minors (under 18 years old)
  • Those who have never been sexually active
  • Those unable to provide consent

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: PARALLEL
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
NO_INTERVENTION: Control
The control group receives the TPB questionnaires but receives no intervention
EXPERIMENTAL: Implementation intentions
Participants are asked to specify when, where and how they will use condoms in the future. They will be sent weekly email reminders of their implementation intentions.
Behavioral: Planning tasks

Implementation intentions: Participants are asked to specify when, where and how they plan to use condoms in the future.

Executive function training aims to improve planning ability and therefore aims to increase condom use planning.

Other Names:
  • implementation intentions
  • executive function training
EXPERIMENTAL: Planning task
Participants will be asked to practice the Tower of Hanoi task four times per week for ten to fifteen minutes.
Behavioral: Planning tasks

Implementation intentions: Participants are asked to specify when, where and how they plan to use condoms in the future.

Executive function training aims to improve planning ability and therefore aims to increase condom use planning.

Other Names:
  • implementation intentions
  • executive function training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Self reports of anal sex with and without condoms
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Variables in the Theory of Planned Behaviour: attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and intention
Time Frame: at baseline and 3 months later
at baseline and 3 months later

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Sydney

Collaborators

The Albion Centre - South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Barbara Mullan, PhD, University of Sydney
  • Principal Investigator: Benjamin J. Andrew, DCP/Msc, University of Sydney
  • Principal Investigator: John de Wit, PhD, National Center in HIV Social Research
  • Principal Investigator: Kim Begley, PhD, The Albion Center

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

November 1, 2013

Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED)

July 1, 2014

Study Completion (ANTICIPATED)

December 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 17, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2013

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

August 20, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

August 20, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2013

Last Verified

August 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • USydney

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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