ERIC Number: EJ941619
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Oct
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0890-8567
EISSN: N/A
Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR): Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention in Alternative/Therapeutic Schools
Brown, Larry K.; Nugent, Nicole R.; Houck, Christopher D.; Lescano, Celia M.; Whiteley, Laura B.; Barker, David; Viau, Lisa; Zlotnick, Caron
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, v50 n10 p1065-1074 Oct 2011
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR), a 14-session HIV-prevention program for adolescents at alternative/therapeutic schools. Because these youth frequently have difficulties with emotions and cognitions, it was designed to improve sexuality-specific affect management and cognitive monitoring, as well as HIV-related knowledge and attitudes. It was hypothesized that STAR would lead to a decrease in sexual risk and improved HIV knowledge and attitudes. Method: Fourteen schools were randomly assigned by year either to the STAR intervention or a brief educational program. Schools received the alternate intervention the following year. A total of 185 adolescents in 29 cohorts (groups) participated in the interventions. Assessment of sexual behavior, knowledge and attitudes with audio computer-assisted self-interviews occurred at 3, 6, and 9 months post intervention. Results: Hierarchical linear model (HLM) analyses found that adolescents in the STAR intervention reported a significantly greater decrease (p less than 0.05) in the Sexual Risk Index than youth in the control group over the 6 months post intervention and similar improvements in the HIV Knowledge Scale and the Condom Use Self Efficacy Scale. There were no group differences between 6 and 9 months post intervention. Conclusions: This STAR intervention for youth in alternative schools was associated with decreased sexual risk for 6 months after the intervention. These data suggest that intervention strategies that target cognitions and affect within a sexual context might be usefully applied to improving sexual behavior but may need to be reinforced over time. Clinical trial registration information--HIV, Abuse, and Psychiatric Disorders Among Youth; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT00603369. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Control Groups, Self Efficacy, Prevention, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Adolescents, Measures (Individuals), Sexuality, Therapy, Program Effectiveness, Metacognition, Knowledge Level, Intervention, Nontraditional Education, Student Attitudes, Interviews, Computers, Contraception, Schemata (Cognition), Mental Disorders, Therapeutic Environment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A