Study Proposal for Web Based Intervention to Promote the Safe Usage of Dating Applications in Young Adults

The University of Hong Kong (HKU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Behavior, Sex; Adolescent Behavior; Sex, Unsafe

Treatments: Behavioral: Control - Health and exercise topic; Behavioral: Intervention - Dating application topic

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03685643

HKUCTR-2512 (Registry Identifier)

09160275

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a program in promoting the safe usage of dating applications amongst young adults in Hong Kong. One group will receive the program regarding dating applications and the other group will receive a placebo program regarding health and exercise.

Full description

Dating applications are a popular platform to meet new people; however, they have been associated with risks such as unsafe sexual behavior and privacy concerns in young adults.

The study design is an open-labeled cluster randomized controlled trial with an intervention and a placebo control arm. The intervention group will receive a web-based intervention developed through focus group discussions, crowdsourcing contest, and a Peer-Vetted Creative Production (PVCP) workshop comprising of four short videos, a risk assessment tool, and a scenario game. The control group will receive a web-based resource with similar multimedia elements on health and exercise.

Based on the Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model, the primary outcome of this study is self-efficacy in using dating applications measured by the General Self Efficacy Scale. Secondary outcomes include change in attitudes regarding risk perception measured by the Risk Propensity Scale and depression symptoms.

Enrollment: 578 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 17 to 27 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 17-27 years old
• Able to read and understand Chinese

Exclusion criteria

• Have a physical impediment (e.g. blindness) to prevent them from accessing the content

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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578 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Intervention - Dating application topic

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention will consist of four short videos with points of discussion, a scenario game, and a risk assessment tool regarding dating application usage.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Intervention - Dating application topic

Control - Health and exercise topic

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

The control will consist of four short videos with discussion points and an interaction game regarding exercise and healthy living tips.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control - Health and exercise topic