Adolescent Safer Sex Social Network Intervention
Condition: Sexual Behavior; Alcohol Drinking; Marijuana Smoking
MeSH terms: Alcohol Drinking; Marijuana Use
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Social networks are thought to hold the potential for shaping behavior on the grounds that
      social and situational factors more strongly influence behavior than do personality
      variables. This is a behavioral intervention study that will test a 6-session, small-group,
      peer-network intervention among adolescent males and females and their friends. The
      intervention primarily focuses on reducing risky sexual behavior and increasing condom use
      among adolescent males and females, aged 16-19. The concurrent use of alcohol and marijuana
      during sex is also a focus as these two substances are widely used among adolescents and fuel
      risky sexual behavior.
    

Detailed description: 
      The objective of this Phase II study is to test the feasibility, acceptability and
      preliminary effectiveness of a 6-session, small-group, peer-network intervention among
      adolescent males and females and their friendship networks.

      A one-arm intervention design with pre-test assessment within one month before the first
      intervention session, and with post-test assessments at three and six months following
      intervention completion will be used. The intervention will be delivered to cohorts of
      friendship groups comprised of an index friend and their social network. To ensure that
      baseline data reflect recent, pre-intervention behavior, index participants and their
      networks will be recruited in small 'cohorts' of 8-16 (average 12) adolescents at a time.
      These cohorts will then receive the group intervention at the same time. Each cohort of
      interested and eligible participants (index + network members) will be screened and
      consented, and will provide baseline data. The first intervention session must occur within
      one month of baseline data collection. A successive series of these small cohorts will be
      identified, enrolled and dispatched to receive the intervention with subsequent follow up
      timelines determined by the date of the final group session of each cohort.

      Preliminary effectiveness of the behavioral intervention will be measured as follows:

        -  The primary outcome related to sexual behavior is the self-reported number of
           unprotected (not protected with male or female condom) vaginal, oral and anal sex acts
           among all (index and network members) who receive the intervention.

        -  Sexual acts when drunk or high will be measured by counting the number of sexual
           encounters that occurred concurrently with a respondent reporting being "drunk" or
           "high".

        -  Alcohol use will be measured by calculating the mean number of drinks consumed. Data
           will be collected on:

             -  the overall frequency of alcohol consumption during the referent period (past 3
                months); and

             -  the usual number of drinks consumed on days when the individual reported drinking
                alcohol.

      The network effect on sexual and drug-use behaviors will be measured as follows:

        -  Data at each of the three time points (baseline, 3 and 6 months) will be evaluated to
           determine whether sexual and drug-use behaviors within networks are more correlated than
           such behaviors between networks.
    

Intervention name(s): Adolescent Safer Sex Social Network Intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: risk behavior; social networks; behavior