Couples-based motivational interviewing to reduce drug use and HIV risk in vulnerable male couples
Official title: Couples Motivational Interviewing to reduce drug use and HIV risk in vulnerable male couples
Funded at Hunter College · NIH-11551196 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A couples-focused program helps at-risk male couples reduce drug use and HIV risk together.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hunter College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $78,470 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DA059272-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11551196 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are sexual minority men in dating or primary relationships, under 35, who are open to engaging in a couple-based intervention and have ongoing HIV risk factors.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not interested in a couple-based approach or not meeting eligibility may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops a multi-session, couples-focused motivational interviewing approach designed for sexual minority men in relationships, especially those under 35. It treats the relationship as the unit of change and teaches couples how to handle conflict, set shared health goals, and build plans to reduce drug use and HIV risk behaviors. The study will be conducted in the New York area with trained counselors delivering the intervention and measuring changes over time. If successful, it could provide a scalable, relationship-centered option to lower HIV transmission risk among young male couples. The work builds on previous MI methods and adapts them to a couple-based framework for HIV prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, couples could experience lower drug use and reduced HIV transmission risk, contributing to healthier relationships and communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous individual MI approaches have shown promise; this project tests a novel couple-focused adaptation in a real-world setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Hunter College
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Starks, Tyrel J — Hunter College
- Study coordinator: Starks, Tyrel J
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.