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

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).