Randomized controlled trial of a relationship education and HIV prevention program for young male couples: Biomedical and behavioral outcomes.

IF 3.1 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY

Health Psychology Pub Date : 2025-03-01 DOI:10.1037/hea0001448

Michael E Newcomb, Gregory Swann, Elizabeth L Addington, Kathryn Macapagal, Judith T Moskowitz, Elissa L Sarno, Sarah W Whitton, Brian Mustanski

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Abstract

Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy of the 2GETHER relationship education and HIV prevention program for young male couples in reducing the risk for HIV.

Method: We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 2GETHER relative to an attention-matched and highly active positive affect enhancement program for couples. We randomized 128 young male couples (N = 256) to 2GETHER or control from 2017 to 2021. Primary biomedical outcome (i.e., rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea) was measured at baseline and 12 months and self-reported condomless anal sex was measured every 3 months across 12-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were other HIV prevention and risk behaviors, relationship functioning, and substance use. We used multilevel models in MPlus to account for clustering with dyads and within-person change over time. Effects of time (for self-reported outcomes) were modeled using latent growth curves at the between-couple level.

Results: We observed no differences between conditions in outcomes, but there was a significant change in outcomes across 12 months. Rates of rectal sexually transmitted infections and self-reported condomless anal sex decreased significantly in both conditions. We also observed significant increases in HIV testing, improvement in relationship communication, and reduction in alcohol-related problems in both conditions across 12 months.

Conclusion: Couples in both the 2GETHER and positive affect enhancement programs showed improvement in biomedical and behavioral indicators of HIV risk, as well as improvement in relationship communication, but without a treatment effect we cannot conclude improvement resulted from the interventions. Couple-based programs that promote connectedness, including relationship education and positive affect enhancement, have a strong potential to reduce young couples' HIV risk. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

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来源期刊

Health Psychology 医学-心理学

CiteScore

4.90

自引率

2.40%

发文量

170

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Health Psychology publishes articles on psychological, biobehavioral, social, and environmental factors in physical health and medical illness, and other issues in health psychology.