Feasibility of a clinic-delivered adolescent and pediatrician communication intervention on patient participatory behaviors and behavior change: TIC TAC pilot study.

Abstract

Pediatrician-adolescent communication can improve adolescent health. We conducted a two-arm design to pilot-test an intervention that randomized adolescents to receive a Feedback Guide to promote engaged conversations. We hypothesized that adolescents who received the Guide would be more participatory. We recruited 12 pediatricians and 29 adolescents. Clinic staff enrolled adolescents using a tablet that enabled consenting, assessment of high-risk behaviors, and audio recording of encounters. We surveyed adolescents immediately and two months after the encounter. Adolescents who received the intervention were more participatory than adolescents who did not. Pediatricians counseled on 20 of 32 high-risk behaviors with no significant arm differences. At follow-up, adolescents changed 9 of 32 behaviors; 6 were among 4 of adolescents in the intervention arm. Adolescents in the intervention arm were also more likely to report that counseling would help them change their behavior; these encounters were slightly longer than control arm encounters. We confirmed feasibility of a streamlined approach to enrolling and audio recording encounters. The Feedback Guide improved adolescent participation and might have helped them adopt healthier behaviors. Adolescents can be primed to be participatory and can change their behaviors after a meaningful encounter with their pediatrician.