Evaluation of Are You Ready?
The Policy & Research Group
Summary
The goal of this randomized trial is to learn if the Are You Ready? (AYR) intervention has a positive impact on the sexual and mental health behaviors of sexually active youth between the ages of 14 and 22 years old who are at risk for or involved in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems. The primary research questions it aims to answer are: * Three months after being offered the intervention, does AYR impact youth's receipt of sexually transmitted infection testing in the past three months? * Three months after being offered the intervention, does AYR impact youth's use of coping skills? * Nine months after being offered the intervention, does AYR impact youth's frequency of having vaginal and anal sex without condoms in the past three months? Researchers will compare participants randomized to receive AYR (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 AYR as a virtual or in-person, 2.5 hour group session. 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 Are You Ready? (AYR) 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 (four months after baseline); and nine months post-intervention (ten months after baseline).
Eligibility
- Age range
- 14–22 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * At risk for or involved in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems * Has had vaginal or anal sex in the last 6 months or has ever had vaginal or anal sex and self-report likelihood of having sex in the next 6 months * Comfortable reading, speaking, and writing in English * United States resident Exclusion Criteria: * Has received other known sexual and reproductive health evidence-based interventions implemented in their local area. * Enrolled in an ongoing PRG-run TPP study * Identified as fraudulent
Interventions
- BehavioralAre You Ready? (AYR)
AYR is a group-based entertainment education (EE) intervention designed for sexually active youth who are at risk for or involved in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare systems. AYR is delivered in one, 2.5-hour (150-minute) session with a group of between 2 to 20 youth. The session includes screening a 40-minute video, "Happy Birthday, Leonard" and group-based discussions led by one to two facilitators. Discussions are guided by a participant workbook with journal prompts and handouts. The session includes two modules; each module involves screening approximately 20 minutes of "Happy Birthday, Leonard" followed by a 40-minute group discussion. Module 1 includes topics related to contraception, condom use (with a condom demonstration), healthy communication, and stress management. Module 2 includes topics related to condom negotiation, communication styles, and intergenerational cycles.
- BehavioralSocial Media Awareness Shorts (SMAS)
SMAS is a virtually delivered, individual-based health program focused on social media use awareness. Participants are directed to a learning management platform that contains a pre-recorded, facilitated program. The program involves watching several short films and independently completing several activities related to social media use. The program does not include information related to the primary outcomes for this study.
Location
- The Policy & Research GroupNew Orleans, Louisiana