Evaluating a Digital Sexual Assertiveness Intervention for ASMM

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Condomless Sex; Sexual Assault

• Registration Number: NCT06878755
• Lead Sponsor: Indiana University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness, likability, and implementation potential of PACT, an adapted digital program to teach non-heterosexual adolescent boys about sexual consent and condom negotiation in a randomized controlled trial over 9 months.

Detailed Description

Because the PACT (Promoting Affirmative Consent among Teens) digital health intervention showed evidence of effectiveness at improving sexual consent cognitions in its first trial, and was found generally likable among adolescents, the research team has adapted the program to serve as sexual assertiveness (consent and condom negotiation) training. This adapted version is tailored to the specific needs of adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM), a population that has been historically underserved by traditional sex education while also experiencing disproportionately high rates of both sexual violence victimization and condom non-use. The evaluation of the adapted PACT program (now titled Promoting Assertive Communication among Teens) will take place in an RCT with a Type 1 effectiveness-implementation hybrid design. Surveys will be administered at pre-intervention, post-intervention, 3-month follow-up, and 9-month follow-up. The investigators will assess acceptability, implementation factors, and main and secondary outcomes related to consent and condom negotiation/use.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-12-23
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-10
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-17
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-17
• Study Start: 2025-10
• Primary Completion: 2026-07
• Study Completion: 2026-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 300

Inclusion Criteria

• 14-17 years old
• lives in the U.S.
• identifies as a queer teen guy or sexual minority male

Exclusion Criteria

• younger than 14
• older than 17
• does not live in U.S.
• does not identify as a queer teen guy or sexual minority male

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Condom negotiation intentions	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' likelihood of using a condom during sexual intercourse with a partner
Affirmative consent intentions	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' likelihood of 1) ensuring consent is obtained from a partner prior to sexual intercourse and 2) communicating their consent affirmatively to a partner prior to intercourse
Condom negotiation self-efficacy	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' confidence in their ability to assert their desire to use a condom with a partner (5-point likert, strongly disagree to strongly agree, higher scores = higher self-efficacy)
Affirmative consent self-efficacy	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' confidence in their ability to communicate sexual consent with a partner (4-point likert, "not at all confident" to "very confident", higher scores = higher self-efficacy)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Condom use	Baseline, 3 months, 9 months	Behavioral outcome measuring whether a condom was used for sexual intercourse
Condom negotiation	Baseline, 3 months, 9 months	Behavioral outcome measuring discussion about condom use prior to sexual intercourse
Affirmative consent communication	Baseline, 3 months, 9 months	Behavioral outcome measuring affirmative consent communication before and during sexual intercourse
Condom attitudes	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' beliefs about the importance of condom use (items from the Condom Attitudes scale, strongly disagree to strongly agree, higher scores = more positive attitudes)
Affirmative consent attitudes	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' beliefs about the importance of affirmative consent (items from the Sexual Consent Scale-Revised, strongly disagree to strongly agree, higher scores = more positive attitudes)
Condom norms	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' personal and perceived norms about condom use (condom norms items from the Psychosocial Scales, higher score = more positive norms)
Affirmative consent norms	Baseline, immediately post-intervention, 3 months, 9 months	Participants' personal and perceived norms about affirmative consent (Norms items from Sexual Consent Scale-Revised, strongly disagree to strongly agree, higher scores = more positive norms)
Acceptability	Immediately post-intervention	Participants' perceptions of the likability and usefulness of the program (items adapted from Acceptability of Intervention measure, "not at all" to "a lot", higher scores = higher acceptability)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Indiana University; 🇺🇸 Bloomington, Indiana, United States