Girl2Girl: Harnessing Text Messaging to Reduce Teenage Pregnancy Among LGB Girls

NCT03029962 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1 TP2AH000035-01-00
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 948
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to finalize and rigorously evaluate Girl2Girl, a novel text messaging-based teenage pregnancy prevention (TPP) program designed specifically for LGB women ages 14-18 years, nation-wide. The guiding theoretical model is the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model, which has been used extensively and is associated with increases in TPP behavior.

Conditions

Teenage Pregnancy

Keywords

Teenage Pregnancy Prevention; LGB Girls; Text-Messaging; Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills(IMB)Model

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Number of protected penile-vaginal sex acts

  The relative difference of protected penile-vaginal sex acts in the intervention versus control group at 12-months post-intervention

  Post-intervention (about 20 weeks after randomization)

• Number of participants who used other birth control methods

  The relative difference of teens who used birth control methods other than condoms (e.g., the pill, the patch) in the intervention versus control group at 12-months post-intervention

  Post-intervention (about 20 weeks after randomization)

• Number of participants who abstained from penile-vaginal sex

  The relative difference of abstinence (not engaging in vaginal sex) in the intervention versus control group at 12-months post-intervention

  Post-intervention (about 20 weeks after randomization)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Number of penile-vaginal sex acts during which a condom was used

  immediate post-intervention end, 3-, 6-, 9-months post-intervention

• Number of participants who used other birth control methods

  immediate post-intervention end, 3-, 6-, 9-months post-intervention

• Number of participants who abstained from penile-vaginal sex

  immediate post-intervention end, 3-, 6-, 9-months post-intervention

• Pregnancy

  Across the 12 months post-intervention

Other Outcomes (2)

• Intentions to use condoms

  immediate post-intervention end, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-intervention

• Intentions to use birth control other than condoms

  immediate post-intervention end, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-intervention

Study Arms (2)

Experimental: Girl2Girl

EXPERIMENTAL

Girl2Girl is a 7-week teenage pregnancy prevention program delivered daily via text messaging to 14-18 year old females who self-identify as lesbian, bisexual, gay, or other sexual minority. In addition to program content, participants are paired with another participant (i.e., a Text Buddy) with whom they can text throughout the program to provide support; and an on-demand advice line, Girl2Genie, which shares information about sex, relationships, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community.

Behavioral: Girl2Girl

No Intervention: Health Lifestyle

NO INTERVENTION

The attention-matched control arm message content consists of information publicly available online related to living a healthy lifestyle. Content discussed includes: nutrition and sleep hygiene, self-esteem and body image, bullying, and drugs and alcohol. The control arm is 7-weeks in length (Week 7 is a review booster) and is delivered via text messaging. Messages are didactic and not tailored to user sexual experience. Additionally, the Text Buddy and G2Genie intervention program components are not available.

Interventions

Girl2Girl BEHAVIORAL

Girl2Girl is a text messaging-based teenage pregnancy prevention program specifically for 14-18 year old LGB adolescent females. Content is guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model and focuses on: HIV information, motivations to engage in HIV preventive behavior, communication skills, behavioral skills (e.g., using a condom; HIV testing); and healthy/unhealthy relationships. Behavioral skills content is reinforced using brief online videos. The intervention is 7 weeks long. A "booster" is delivered 12-weeks post-intervention end and reviews the topics covered in the intervention. Girl2Girl content is tailored based upon sexual experience (i.e., whether one is abstinent or sexually active) and whether one is same-sex or dually attracted.

Experimental: Girl2Girl

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 18 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: cisgender / female gender identity
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• endorse a non-heterosexual sexual identity (i.e., lesbian/gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, unsure);
• be cisgender (i.e., be assigned a female sex at birth and endorse a female gender identity);
• be aged 14-18;
• in high school or equivalent (including those who did not finish school/dropped out);
• be English speaking;
• be exclusive owners of a cell phone with an unlimited text messaging plan;
• have used text messaging for at least six months;
• intend to have the same cell number for the next six months; and,
• be able to provide informed assent, including an acceptable score for "capacity to consent" and the self-safety assessment.

You may not qualify if:

• not having the capacity to assent
• not passing the self-safety assessment
• previously participating in another study activity (with the exception of the baseline and intervention end survey pilot tests)
• knowing someone who is already enrolled in the program
• non-cisgender

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Center for Innovative Public Health Research: lead
• The Office of Adolescent Health, HHS: collaborator
• University of British Columbia: collaborator
• City University of New York: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Center for Innovative Public Health Research

San Clemente, California, 92672-6745, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Ybarra ML, Parrilla JS, Wolowic J, Rosario M, Goodenow C, Saewyc E. A National, Qualitative Study of Sexual Decision Making by Teenage Girls who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or who have Another Nonheterosexual Identity. J Pediatr. 2020 Feb;217:177-183. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.10.038. Epub 2019 Dec 13.

  PMID: 31843216 BACKGROUND

• Doull M, Wolowic J, Saewyc E, Rosario M, Prescott T, Ybarra ML. Why Girls Choose Not to Use Barriers to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infection During Female-to-Female Sex. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr;62(4):411-416. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.10.005. Epub 2017 Dec 28.

  PMID: 29290373 BACKGROUND

• Ybarra ML, Saewyc E, Rosario M, Dunsiger S. Subgroup Analyses of Girl2Girl, a Text Messaging-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program for Sexual Minority Girls: Results from a National RCT. Prev Sci. 2023 Dec;24(Suppl 2):292-299. doi: 10.1007/s11121-023-01493-6. Epub 2023 Feb 8.

  PMID: 36753043 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Michele L Ybarra, PhD

  Center for Innovative Public Health Research

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 17, 2017
• First Posted: January 24, 2017
• Study Start: October 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: January 12, 2020
• Study Completion: January 12, 2020
• Last Updated: March 16, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)