Helping parents support their LGBTQ+ children

Development and Initial Trial of Two Brief Interventions to Support Parents in Affirming Their Children's Experiences of Sexuality and Gender

This study is testing two online programs to help parents in the Southeastern U.S. be more supportive of their LGBTQ+ children to improve their mental health.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 129 (estimated)
• Ages: 15 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Yale University (Academic / other)
• Locations: 4 sites (New Haven, Connecticut and 3 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT05919849 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to develop and evaluate two brief online writing interventions designed to enhance parental acceptance of sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) in the Southeastern United States. By focusing on improving parental support, which is crucial for the mental health of SGMY, the study seeks to address the gap in existing interventions that help parents respond positively to their children's disclosures. The interventions will be tested for acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy in a randomized controlled trial, with the goal of reducing parental rejection and increasing support. If successful, these interventions could be scaled up to reach more parents in high-stigma regions.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include parents or guardians of sexual and gender minority youth aged 15-29 who live in the Southeast United States and currently report non-acceptance of their child.

Not a fit: Parents who are already accepting of their SGMY or those who do not live in the Southeast United States may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly improve the mental health outcomes for sexual and gender minority youth by fostering greater parental acceptance.

How similar studies have performed: While few interventions exist for this specific issue, the approach of using online writing interventions to improve parental acceptance is novel and has not been extensively tested in randomized trials.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Parents are eligible if they meet the following criteria:

   1. Be a parent, grandparent, or any other family member who considers themselves a guardian of an SGMY between 15-29 years old,
   2. Live in the Southeast United States (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida),
   3. Identify as heterosexual and cisgender, and
   4. Report non-acceptance of their SGMY.
2. SGMY are eligible if they meet the following criteria:

   1. Self-identify as SGM,
   2. Are 15-29 years old,
   3. Live in the Southeast United States, and
   4. Have a parent enrolled in the trial

   Exclusion Criteria:
3. Any individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

   1. Active mania, psychosis, or suicidality, and
   2. Unable to provide informed consent.

Where this trial is running

New Haven, Connecticut and 3 other locations

• Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut, United States (Recruiting)
• University of Maryland — College Park, Maryland, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
• Vanderbilt University — Nashville, Tennessee, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
• Ben-Gurion University — Beersheba, Israel (Not_yet_recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: John E Pachankis, Ph.D. — Yale University
• Study coordinator: Danielle Chiaramonte, Ph.D.

Conditions Parent-Child Relations; Parental Acceptance; Sexual and Gender Minority Youth