Evaluation of Stepping Stones
The Policy & Research Group
Summary
The goal of this randomized trial is to learn if the Stepping Stones (StSt) intervention has a positive impact on the sexual health and relationship behaviors of sexually active youth between the ages of 12 and 22 years old who are at risk for or involved in the legal or child welfare systems. The primary research questions it aims to answer are: * Three months after being offered the intervention, does StSt impact youth's receipt of sexually transmitted infection testing in the past four months? * Nine months after being offered the intervention, does StSt impact youth's frequency of having vaginal and anal sex without condoms in the past four months? * Nine months after being offered the intervention, does StSt impact youth's perpetration of emotional abuse in the past four months? Researchers will compare participants randomized to receive StSt (treatment group) to participants randomized to receive a control condition that contains no sexual or reproductive health information (control group). Participants randomized to the treatment group will be offered StSt as an-person, individual-based intervention delivered over four sessions during a 6-8 week period. Participants randomized to the control group will be offered a virtually delivered control condition.
Description
This is an individual-level, randomized control trial to rigorously evaluate the impact of the Stepping Stones (StSt) intervention. Participant outcomes will be assessed using self-reported, individual-level data gathered using a structured questionnaire administered at three time points: baseline (enrollment); three months post-intervention (five months after baseline); and nine months post-intervention (eleven months after baseline).
Eligibility
- Age range
- 12–22 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * At risk for or involved in the legal or child welfare systems * Report ever having vaginal and/or anal sex and plan to have sex in the next six months * Comfortable reading, speaking, and writing in English Exclusion Criteria: * Currently trying to start a pregnancy * Currently in jail or being detained in a facility * Enrolled in an ongoing PRG-run TPP study * Identified as fraudulent (only for individuals recruited online)
Interventions
- BehavioralStepping Stones (StSt)
StSt is an individual-level intervention designed to help youth make healthy decisions. StSt is delivered in-person by an adult guide during four \~30-50 minute sessions over a period of up to 8 weeks. The adult guide leads the youth through health-focused discussions related to identifying personal values, making a social network map, and then creating and refining individualized plans.
- BehavioralLike
Like is an hour-long film that discusses the impact of social media on the brain. Study staff will organize for each individual participant to watch the film in-person. The film does not include information related to the outcomes of interest for the study.
Location
- The Policy & Research GroupNew Orleans, Louisiana