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Sexual HealthMaterScreenNCT06842004

Protocol to Improve the Representation of the Reproductive Process in Spanish Fiction.

A study testing Participatory action in people with Sexual Health and Community Participation, run by Universitat de Lleida at 1 site in Spain.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The aim of this study is to promote the inclusive and plural representation of reproductive processes in Spanish fiction, in order to generate knowledge, emotional well-being and improve the quality of life of people in similar situations. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Participatory action
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 siteSpain
Study dates
1 Apr 2025to Dec 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participated in the group health education program at the primary sexual and reproductive health care centers (ASSIR), attended at least 3 sessions.
  • Signed the informed consent form.
  • Employed by the Institut Català de la Salut, specifically within the obstetrics and gynecology team at the Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova (HUAV) or primary health care (ASSIR)
  • Signed the informed consent form.

Who cannot join

  • Language barrier (Spanish/Catalan) that limits their ability to have a relaxed conversation.
  • No exclusion criteria were applied.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Rosa M Alzuria Alós, RN, RM, PhD contact

+34 629 91 11 92

rosamar.alzuria@udl.cat

Spain1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Facultat d'Infermeria i Fisioteràpia

    Lleida, Lleida, 25198

    Esther Elias Pascual, +34 973 70 24 43, fif.secretariadeganat@udl.cat

    Mariona Visa Barbosa, PhD, +34 973 70 31 59, mariona.visa@udl.cat

    Recruiting

Other trials in Spain

About this study

Official title: Protocol to Improve the Representation of the Reproductive Process in Spanish Fiction: Sequential Transformative Approach, With Qualitative Predominance and Participatory Action.

The aim of this study is to promote the inclusive and plural representation of reproductive processes in Spanish fiction, in order to generate knowledge, emotional well-being and improve the quality of life of people in similar situations. The question to be answered is

Will a handbook of good practices used in the training of scriptwriters and audiovisual creators, based on the testimonies of people experiencing reproductive processes and developed with the collaboration of experts (gynaecologists, midwives -ACL-, audiovisuals -Dones Visuals- and scriptwriters -Guionistes Associats-) promote the inclusive and updated representation of reproductive processes?

Focus groups with people involved in reproductive processes and in-depth interviews with professionals involved in these processes will be carried out. A manual of good practices will then be developed in collaboration with audiovisual experts and scriptwriters.

Read the detailed description

Introduction: Since the 1970s, representations of women in fiction have been the subject of interdisciplinary analysis to understand how cultural narratives perpetuate, challenge or transform patriarchal discourses.

Researchers such as Friedan, Faludi and Macdonald have shown how the media reproduce myths of femininity that reinforce gender inequalities. According to De Lauretis, gender is constructed through representation, while Ricoeur stresses that cultural narratives shape individual identities by linking personal histories with collective imaginaries.

In the area of motherhood, researchers such as Douglas and Michaels, Feasey and Kaplan have shown how the media reinforces conservative ideals such as 'new momism' and simplifies biological processes such as pregnancy and breastfeeding, while personal testimonies reveal tensions between cultural expectations and lived experiences, highlighting the need for more inclusive and diverse narratives.

Aim: The project analyzes the representation of reproductive processes-such as menstruation, pregnancy, abortion, and menopause-in contemporary Spanish audiovisual fiction, assessing how these narratives reflect or challenge socio-cultural structures and reconfigure traditional imaginaries.

Through an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach, the research team aims to understand how different audiences, particularly those related to reproductive health, perceive these narratives. The study will include an analysis of fiction, the perceptions of users and professionals, and collaboration with organizations such as the Catalan Association of Midwives (ACL) and audiovisual experts to co-produce a good practice guide that promotes inclusive, ethical, and patriarchy-free representations.

Material and method: The study will follow a sequential transformative mixed method design (DITRAS), with qualitative predominance and participatory action research, divided into three phases. In the first phase, a quantitative approach will be used with a descriptive cross-sectional study, based on a systematic search of film databases, digital platforms and on-demand television. In the second phase, users' and professionals' perceptions of reproductive health processes will be explored through focus groups and interviews. In the third phase, participatory action research will be applied to co-create a manual of good practices to be implemented in undergraduate and postgraduate training in communication and journalism.

Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze the representation of reproductive processes in Spanish fiction. According to Goffman, the way messages are framed in the media influences the audience's perception of problems and their solutions, leading to psychological, social, and political repercussions.

Through strategically designed narratives, the media has the power to shape attitudes and drive social change, as highlighted by the WHO in its guidelines for addressing sensitive issues such as suicide. Previous studies on the portrayal of childbirth suggest that fiction has distorted the perception of care quality, overrepresented white, heterosexual, non-disabled couples, and depicted women as passive participants in the process.

The findings of this study have the potential to enhance the representation of reproductive processes in the media, fostering a more inclusive and accurate perspective that could shape public perceptions and contribute to the development of more equitable policies.

Being tested
Participatory action
Keywords
sexual health, motion pictures, community participation, social norms

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Participatory actionOther

    The reality of audiovisual fiction in Spain and professionals' perceptions of how motherhood is portrayed will be explored. Through participatory action, participants will share their experiences and knowledge to identify areas for improvement in the representation of reproductive processes. The result will be a manual of good practices for fiction production, aimed at promoting more inclusive, realistic and stereotype-free representations, in order to improve both public perception and professional training in the audiovisual field.

Study groups in NCT06842004
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Persons involved in reproductive processesOtherThe participatory action in this mixed study will be applied to users, health professionals and audiovisual professionals to co-create solutions and reflect on the representations of motherhood in Spanish audiovisual fiction. This methodology seeks to actively involve those involved-health professionals, audiovisual experts and people with experience in maternity-in all phases of the study, from data collection to interpretation.
Receives: Other: Participatory action

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Use audiovisual works that promote diverse narratives about reproductive processes as case studies in undergraduate and master's programs for future audiovisual professionals

    Implement the use of a best practices manual for students of Audiovisual Communication, Journalism and Screenwriting, to enhance their critical ability to recognize more inclusive narratives in terms of race, class, gender, culture, religion, socioeconomic background, and access to reproductive rights.

    Measured: From the implementation of the manual of good practices in university communication and audiovisual studies to 5 years later.

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Creation of a database of fictional works on reproductive processes in Spain

    To create a database of Spanish fictional works on reproductive processes from the last decade, following a search strategy designed by the research team. To analyze the fiction depicted (keyword, type, author, year, depicted reproductive process, ideology, medicalization, stereotypes, and platform -VOD or free-to-air TV-) using a customized tool for this study.

    Measured: In the 14 months prior to enrolling to participate.

  2. Profile and perceptions of users and professionals from focus group scripts or semi-structured interviews on the representation of reproductive processes in contemporary Spanish fiction.

    A questionnaire will collect sociodemographic data such as age, sex/gender, country of birth, and occupation. Reproductive characteristics such as previous pregnancies, abortions, perinatal losses, live births, obstetric complications, and prior health education will also be gathered. Additionally, users' health education programs and professionals' characteristics (discipline, experience, level of care, and occupation) will be recorded.

    Based on the semi-structured script, users' perceptions of the reproductive process, its differences from real experience, and consequences, including the invisibility of certain processes, will be collected. Discrepancies in care practices and their impact on expectations, along with proposals for improvement, will be analyzed. Professionals' views on fictional representations of sexual-reproductive health, their roles, stereotypes, interprofessional relationships, and impact on the population will also be examined, with suggestions for improvement.

    Measured: An average of 6 months from the registration of participants (users and healthcare professionals) to the completion of the analysis of the interview / focus group.

  3. Manual of best practices and recommendations for audiovisual presentations of reproductive processes, based on data collected through focus groups and in-depth interviews with users and professionals.

    The co-production of a manual of best practices for audiovisual representations of reproductive processes will be based on the analysis of user and professional discourses, with the participation of sexual and reproductive health experts (gynecologist and Associació Catalana de Llevadores) and communication professionals (Dones Visuals and Guionistes Associats de Catalunya). This manual, aimed at scriptwriters, audiovisual creators and students, will provide recommendations for the accurate representation of reproductive processes, ensuring visibility without gender stereotypes, respecting current health protocols and taking into account the social context.

    Measured: From the registration of participants in the Participatory Action Intervention Working Group to the implementation of the tool in university communication and audiovisual studies, an average 6 months.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted24 Feb 2025
  2. Study start1 Apr 2025
  3. Primary completionJun 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Sequential
Model description
The study will employ a sequential mixed-methods transformative design (DITRAS), with a predominantly qualitative approach and a strong emphasis on participatory action research. It will be structured into three distinct phases. In the first phase, a quantitative approach will be used, involving a descriptive cross-sectional study based on a systematic search of film databases, digital platforms, and on-demand television. The second phase will focus on exploring the perceptions of users and professionals regarding reproductive health processes through focus groups and interviews. The third phase, the intervention phase, will adopt a participatory action research approach to co-create a good practice manual, which will be implemented in undergraduate and postgraduate communication and journalism training programs.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
60 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06842004
Sponsor's protocol ID
PID2022-137338OA-I00
Other IDs
PID2022-137338OA-I00
Acronym
MaterScreen
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
31 Jan 2025
Last updated
18 Apr 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: The individual data collected in this study contain sensitive personal information. Despite anonymization measures, sharing could compromise participants' privacy and confidentiality. Additionally, the informed consent specifies that the data will be used solely for this study and not shared with third parties. Therefore, individual data sets will not be shared to ensure security and adherence to ethical research principles.

Publications

  • Acosta Artiles FJ, Rodriguez Rodriguez-Caro CJ, Cejas Mendez MR. [Reporting on Suicide. WHO recommendations for the Media.]. Rev Esp Salud Publica. 2017 Oct 24;91:e201710040. Spanish.

    PubMed 29064462
  • HAYS, Sharon. (1998). The cultural contradictions of motherhood. Yale University press

  • KAPLAN, E. Ann. (2013). Motherhood and representation: The mother in popular culture and melodrama. Routledge.

  • FEASEY, Rebecca. (2016). Mothers on mothers: maternal readings of popular television. Peter Lang

  • FEASEY, Rebecca. (2012). From happy homemaker to desperate housewives: motherhood and popular television. London: Anthem Press.

  • DOUGLAS, Susan y MICHAELS, Meredith. (2004). The Mommy Myth: The Mass Media and the Rise of the New Momism. The Free Press.

  • MACDONALD, Myra (1995) Representing women myths of femininity in the popular media. Hodder Arnold

  • FALUDI, Susan. (1991). Backlash: The undeclared war against women. London: Chatto & Windus

  • Friedan B. The problem that has no name. The Feminine Mystique 1963. Am J Public Health. 2010 Sep;100(9):1582-4. doi: 10.2105/ajph.100.9.1582. No abstract available.

    PubMed 20705962

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Participatory action in people with Sexual Health and Community Participation, run by Universitat de Lleida at 1 site in Spain.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Spain. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Rosa M Alzuria Alós, RN, RM, PhD (+34 629 91 11 92, rosamar.alzuria@udl.cat), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Use audiovisual works that promote diverse narratives about reproductive processes as case studies in undergraduate and master's programs for future audiovisual professionals (time frame: From the implementation of the manual of good practices in university communication and audiovisual studies to 5 years later.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06842004, which also lists 9 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Apr 2025.

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