Evaluation of Manhood 2.0: A Community-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program for Young Men
Condition: Sexual Behavior; Unprotected Sex
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Manhood 2.0 is a male-only group-level intervention, delivered over 13 hours, based on social
      cognitive theory, social norm theory, theory of gender and power, and the theory of reasoned
      action. The intervention is a gender-transformative program that promotes critical reflection
      and awareness on reproductive health, healthy relationships, gender norms and stereotypes
      that drive reproductive health behavior, and explicit and proactive support of female partner
      contraceptive use. Activities include group discussion, role playing, knowledge sharing, and
      skill-building; their purpose is to challenge young men to think critically about social
      expectations and restrictive norms, engage in dialogue about these gender norms, and then
      assess the way rigid norms affect their attitudes and behaviors toward a number of key
      issues, including intimate relationships, gender-based violence, substance abuse, sexually
      transmitted infections, and early pregnancy. Young men receive the intervention at a local
      community center or high school. Comparison condition young men receive a post-high school
      readiness program that does not discuss gender norms or sexual and reproductive health. The
      study was conducted with six cohorts of eligible young men ages 15-18 who received a
      baseline, immediate post-intervention, and three-month post-intervention survey. To
      participate in the study, individuals had to meet all the following criteria: (1) Identify as
      male; (2) Ages 15 to 18; (3) Not actively planning a pregnancy with someone; (4) Never
      participated in the community center's sexual and reproductive health program; (5) Received
      no additional sexual or reproductive health programming in the last three months; (6) Able to
      participate in a program delivered in English only.

      The investigators hypothesized that Manhood 2.0 participants would have lower rates of
      unprotected sex and more equitable attitudes towards gender than comparison participants.
    


Intervention name(s): Manhood 2.0; Post-High School Readiness
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Manhood 2.0 engages young men in questioning, challenging, and transforming harmful gender norms, with the goal of reducing intimate partner and sexual violence and unintended teen pregnancy. Manhood 2.0 is a male-only group-level intervention, based on social cognitive theory, social norm theory, theory of gender and power, and the theory of reasoned action. Activities include group discussion, role playing, knowledge sharing, and skill-building; their purpose is to challenge young men to think critically about social expectations and restrictive norms, engage in dialogue about these gender norms, and then assess the way rigid norms affect their attitudes and behaviors toward key issues, including intimate relationships, gender-based violence, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, and early pregnancy. Sessions are two hours long and occur once a week for seven weeks.; Post-High School Readiness program helps young men prepare for life after high school. This includes helping them prepare resumes, learning how to apply to jobs or colleges, providing interview prep, and other life skills. It is a male-only group-level program that includes discussion, feedback, knowledge sharing, and skill-building; their purpose is to prepare young men for life after high school. Sessions are two hours long and occur once a week for seven weeks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention