Online program to improve father-teen conversations about sex and relationships

Pilot of a Father-based Intervention to Support Adolescents' Reproductive Health

Not applicable Interventional Wellesley College · NCT06564025

This study is testing an online program to help fathers and their high-school teens have better conversations about sex and relationships.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages14 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorWellesley College Academic / other
Locations1 site (Wellesley, Massachusetts)
Trial IDNCT06564025 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot intervention aims to support fathers and their high-school aged teens in discussing sexual health and relationships through an online program based on Social Cognitive Theory. The study will involve 50 father-teen pairs who will participate in interactive activities and surveys to assess the program's acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy. Data will be collected through enrollment metrics, lesson feedback, and pre- and post-intervention surveys to evaluate changes in health-related knowledge and self-efficacy. The findings will help determine if a larger-scale study is warranted.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include fathers of high-school aged teens who are in regular contact with their children and can participate in English.

Not a fit: Patients who are not fathers of participating teens or those who do not have regular contact with their teens may not benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this program could enhance communication between fathers and teens about sexual health, leading to better-informed adolescents.

How similar studies have performed: While similar interventions have been explored, this specific approach focusing on father-teen dynamics in sexual health discussions is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria for fathers:

* adult (18 or older)
* father (biological, step, adopted, or foster) of a participating teen and
* report regular contact with the teen
* healthy enough to participate in online surveys, an online intervention, interactive activities (either online, over the phone or in-person) with the adolescent, and an online support group
* speak English
* have a reading level of 6th grade or above.

Exclusion criteria for fathers:

* not a father (biological, step, adopted, or foster) of a participating high-school aged teen
* under the age of 18
* not in regular contact with their teen
* cannot participate in intervention in English Inclusion criteria for adolescents
* high-school aged child (biological, step, adopted, or foster) of a participating father
* report regular contact with their father
* healthy enough to participate in online surveys and interactive activities (either online, over the phone or in-person) with the father
* have a reading level of 6th grade or above Exclusion criteria for adolescents
* not in high school
* not in regular contact with the father
* not child (biological, step, adopted, or foster) of participating father
* cannot participate in intervention in English

Where this trial is running

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Program, Communicationsex educationfather-teen programfamily intervention
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.