Dating Violence and HIV Prevention in Girls: Adapting Mental Health Interventions

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This project is designed to develop and test a group-based preventive intervention to reduce dating violence and sexual risk behavior among adolescent females with prior dating violence exposure.

Detailed Description
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A growing body of research reveals that dating violence (DV) plays a significant role in adolescent girls' HIV risk. Dating violence has been associated with less condom use, younger age at first intercourse, having multiple sex partners and alcohol use prior to sexual encounters. Thus, prevention strategies that address dating violence and HIV risk may hold promise for reducing sexual risk behavior among a particularly at-risk population. In this study, a cognitive-behaviorally based intervention named Skills to Manage Aggression in Relationships for Teens (Date S.M.A.R.T.) is being developed and compared to a psychoeducational program for dating violence and HIV prevention. The program is being implemented with a sample of underserved youth, as economic disadvantage and minority status have been found to be related to increased rates of adolescent dating violence. A primary focus of the intervention is to address mental health problems (i.e. psychological distress and behavioral dysregulation) that underlie the development and maintenance of both dating violence and sexual risk behavior among adolescent girls.

Official Title
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Dating Violence and HIV Prevention in Girls: Adapting Mental Health Interventions

Conditions
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Dating Violence, HIV Infections

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Cognitive-Behavioral Dating Violence and HIV Prevention Group
* Behavioral: Psycho-educational Dating Violence and HIV prevention group


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Adolescent must be English-speaking Adolescent must have a lifetime history of physical dating violence perpetration or victimization Exclusion Criteria: Current enrollment in an intervention for dating violence or HIV prevention

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 15 Years
Maximum Age: 17 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Skills<br>Cognitive-Behavioral Dating Violence and HIV Prevention Group | Behavioral: Cognitive-Behavioral Dating Violence and HIV Prevention Group<br>* Six, two-hour weekly sessions and one 2-hour booster session 6 weeks later with adolescent females<br>* Other names: Date SMART;|
| Active Comparator: Health Promotion<br>Psycho-educational Dating Violence and HIV Prevention group | Behavioral: Psycho-educational Dating Violence and HIV prevention group<br>* Knowledge based intervention matched for time and attention to skills arm<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in number (#) of unprotected sex acts |  | Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in number of acts of dating violence perpetration and victimization |  | Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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HIV Prevention, Dating Violence, Females, Romantic relationships, Adolescents, Sexuality, Underserved youth