Evaluating WhatsOK Helpline for Youth With Concerns About Sexual Thoughts and Behaviors
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Contact helpline.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Mental Health, Social Support, Perceived Self-efficacy, Sexual Behavior. Basic parameters: 14 years — 17 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
A Randomized Control Trial Evaluation of WhatsOK for the Primary Prevention of Problematic Sexual Behaviors Among Youth
Overview
Research suggests up to 77% of harmful sexual experiences during childhood are caused by other youth. Sometimes called peer-peer abuse or youth-perpetrated child sexual abuse, problematic and harmful sexual behavior among youth (PHSBY) involves sexual behaviors that are not developmentally appropriate and have potential to cause harm to the child or children involved. Compared to adults, children and adolescents who engage in sexual exploration are at greater risk of making mistakes or causing harm, in large part because they have insufficient information about healthy sexual behavior and development, consent, and related concepts. However, the available support, information, and resources for youth who have engaged in or are at risk of engaging in PSHB are limited. To address these unmet needs, Stop it Now! (stopitnow.org) created the first youth-focused website and helpline services (WhatsOK) for young people with concerns about their sexual thoughts, interests, and behaviors. WhatsOK.org is a microsite developed specifically for youth aged 14-21 years. If a child or young person has concerns about their sexual thoughts or behaviors, the WhatsOK Online Help Center and Helpline can provide support and resources to support healthy behavior and prevent problematic or harmful behavior. If someone has already engaged in PHSBY or if they are unsure about whether what has been done is illegal, they can still reach out for confidential help to learn about taking steps to stop. Preliminary findings from a longitudinal, observational study of the WhatsOK helpline suggest that youth are willing to seek out help for their (and others') sexual interests and behaviors, highlighting the critical need for prevention strategies targeting youth with potentially concerning sexual behaviors. We examined the characteristics of contacts to the WhatsOK helpline via data collected from pre-set questions on age, primary reason for contact, timing of inquiry relative to other help-seeking, and timing relative to harm caused. Most inquiries came from youth aged 14 to 21 (57.7%) via email (54.4%). Over half (54.6%) had already engaged in harmful or illegal behaviors or were potentially at risk to do so. The majority of contacts sought help prior to seeking out other external professional resources (54%). The current study is a randomized control trial evaluating the impact of the WhatsOK helpline in reducing PHSBY and improving help-seeking attitudes and behavior in a sample of participants ages 14-17 with concerns about their sexual thoughts and behaviors.
Interventions
- Behavioral Contact helpline
Participants will be directed to contact the WhatsOK helpline, where they can confidentially discuss their concerns about sexual thoughts or behaviors with a trained counselor
Primary outcome measures
- Help-seeking behaviors [Time frame: Participants' behaviors will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
- Sexual behaviors [Time frame: Participants' behaviors will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- Safety Planning [Time frame: Participants' mental health will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
- Well-being [Time frame: Participants' mental health will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
- Internal shame [Time frame: Participants' behaviors will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
- Perceived resources [Time frame: Participants' behaviors will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
- Perceived self-efficacy [Time frame: Participants' perceived self-efficacy will be measured at baseline, t2 (baseline + 3 days), T3 (baseline + 14 days), T4 (baseline + 45 days), and T5 (baseline + 90 days)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- must be ages 14-17 years at baseline
- must have concerns about their sexual thoughts or behaviors
- must be able to read, write, and speak in English
Exclusion criteria
- Under 14 or over 17 years of age
- Does not have concerns about their sexual thoughts or behaviors
- Previously contacted a helpline or hotline for concerns about their sexual thoughts or behaviors
- Is not able to read, write, or speak in English
- Does not consent to participate
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Publications
- National Center for Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY). (n.d.). Overview and definitions. https://www.ncsby.org/professionals
- Bright MA, Bodi C, Gordon B, Ortega D, Coleman J. Early Findings of Helpline Inquiries From Youth and Young Adults With Concerns About Their Sexual Thoughts, Behaviors, and Experiences. J Interpers Violence. 2025 Nov;40(21-22):4971-4981. doi: 10.1177/08862605241299446. Epub 2024 Nov 21. PMID 39569498
- Letourneau, E. J., Assini-Meytin, L.C., Kaufman, K. L., Mathews, B., & Palmer, D. (2020). Preventing and addressing child sexual abuse in youth serving organizations: A desk guide for organizational leaders. Baltimore, MD: Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- Gewirtz-Meydan A, Finkelhor D. Sexual Abuse and Assault in a Large National Sample of Children and Adolescents. Child Maltreat. 2020 May;25(2):203-214. doi: 10.1177/1077559519873975. Epub 2019 Sep 16. PMID 31526040
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07525778 · CE-25-026 · 1 U01CE003741-01-00 · 1U01CE003741-01