Francis, Jenny

Little is known about whether adolescent participation in sexual health research prompts adolescents and parents to have conversations about sensitive topics. One year after being presented with a hypothetical microbicide safety study, 248 adolescent–parent dyads were asked about conversations they may have had after their initial study visit. Sixty-three per cent of adolescents and 82% of parents reported having a conversation about the study. A launching conversation about broader topics (e.g. risk behaviours) was reported by 8% of adolescents and 17% of parents. Because there is evidence that conversations are occurring, researchers could provide guidance to help facilitate potentially sensitive discussions.

The objective of this study is to understand the resolution of discordance between adolescent–parent dyads about participation in research. Adolescent (14-17 years) and parent dyads were recruited from NYC pediatric clinics to assess attitudes toward research participation. A subset of dyads participated in videotaped discussions about participation in a hypothetical study. Videos from dyads that held strongly discordant opinions about participation ( n = 30) were content-coded and analyzed using a thematic framework approach. Strategies used to resolve discordance included asserting authority, granting autonomy, or recognizing inaccurate assumptions using a variety of communication behaviors. Missed opportunities to enroll initially discordant dyads may be avoided by allowing time for adolescents and parents to elicit information, clarify a situation, or convince the other.