A Unified Intervention for Young Gay and Bisexual Men's Minority Stress, Mental Health, and HIV Risk



Status:Recruiting
Conditions:HIV / AIDS, HIV / AIDS, HIV / AIDS
Therapuetic Areas:Immunology / Infectious Diseases
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - 35
Updated:1/11/2019
Start Date:September 2016
End Date:August 2022
Contact:Oluwaseyi Adeyinka, MPH
Email:oluwaseyi.adeyinka@yale.edu
Phone:(646) 344-4060

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The intent of the proposed randomized controlled trial is to test the efficacy of a
principle-based, transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention that
addresses the pathways through which minority stress compromises young gay and bisexual men's
(YGBM) co-occurring mental (e.g., depression), behavioral (e.g., substance use), and sexual
(e.g., condomless anal sex) health problems.

ESTEEM (Effective Skills to Empower Effective Men) is a 10-session skills-building
intervention designed to reduce young gay and bisexual men's (YGBM) co-occurring health risks
by reducing the underlying cognitive, affective, and behavioral pathways through which
minority stress impairs YGBM's health. ESTEEM is based on the Unified Protocol, a
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach with efficacy across mental health and risk
behaviors. In an initial study to create ESTEEM , the Unified Protocol was adapted by
conducting interviews with 21 YGBM-expert mental health providers and 20 depressed, anxious
YGBM at high risk for HIV infection. In a preliminary trial (NCT02448186), ESTEEM
significantly reduced YGBM's spectrum of interrelated health threats, making it the first
evidence-based intervention to simultaneously improve mental health, substance use, and
sexual health outcomes among YGBM.

Important questions remain in order to validate the efficacy and potential cost-effectiveness
of ESTEEM. Accordingly, we propose a 3-arm RCT that would examine (1) whether ESTEEM (arm 1)
demonstrates significant improvements compared to existing LGBT-affirmative community mental
health treatment (CMHT; arm 2) or standard HIV/STD voluntary counseling and testing (VCT; arm
3) for high-risk depressed and anxious YGBM and (2) whether it improves outcomes through
reducing hypothesized cognitive, affective, and behavioral minority stress processes.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Identify as gay or bisexual.

- HIV-negative status.

- Diagnosis of any DSM depressive, anxiety, or trauma- and stressor-related disorder.

- HIV sexual risk (≥1 act of condomless anal with a male partner of unknown status or
HIV+ status, unless with HIV+ partner with known undetectable viral load).

- Not currently taking PrEP.

- NYC or Miami residential stability and planned availability for 12 months.

- Provision of informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Current suicidal or homicidal ideation.

- Evidence of active psychosis or gross cognitive impairment.

- Current enrollment in an intervention study.

- HIV-positive status.
We found this trial at
2
sites
New Haven, Connecticut 06520
Principal Investigator: John E Pachankis, PhD
Phone: 646-344-4060
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1120 Northwest 14th Street
Miami, Florida 33136
Principal Investigator: Steve A Safren, PhD
Phone: 305-243-3508
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Miami, FL
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