Parents ASSIST (Advancing Supportive and Sexuality-Inclusive Sex Talks): Iterative Development of a Sex Communication Video Series for Parents of Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Male Adolescents

Abstract

Effective parent–child sex communication enhances heterosexual youths’ efficacy to engage in health promotive behaviors, yet there is scarce research on parent–child sex communication with gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) sons during adolescence. Our aim is to describe the development of Parents ASSIST, a web-based series of animated videos for parents of GBQ adolescent males focused on (a) parental education about sexual health topics pertinent to this population’s same-sex concerns, (b) modeling of communication skills for parents to broach and sustain inclusive discussions at home, and (c) norming the role of providers as reliable sources of support when parents seek GBQ-related health information. Community-based advisory boards, comprised of parents and health care providers, respectively, informed the intervention development. Based on study notes and the research team’s reflections, we present lessons learned that focus on content-based and logistical challenges that arose during the intervention development process. This study extends practice and patient education by providing an innovative, primary intervention that partners with parents of an underserved youth population.