Abstract
The present study evaluated a behavioral STD/HIV risk reduction intervention and a violence prevention intervention for incarcerated adolescent male offenders. Participants were 428 male juvenile offenders entering a state reformatory and randomly assigned to either a 6-session anger management (AM) intervention or a 6-session sexual risk reduction skills-training (ST) intervention. Assessments prior to and immediately following the intervention included cognitive mediating measures such as AIDS knowledge, condom attitudes, self-efficacy, perceived risk, conflict tactics, anger management, and impulsivity. Behavioral skill in correct condom use also was evaluated at baseline and immediately following the interventions. Participants' sexual behavior, drug use, and recidivism in the youth correctional system was assessed at baseline and 6 months after release. Postintervention, ST participants evidenced significantly higher levels of AIDS knowledge and condom use self-efficacy, more positive attitudes about condoms, and significantly greater condom-use skill than AM participants. The violence prevention intervention produced no changes in attitudes or knowledge following the intervention. Significant decreases in sexual risk behaviors and drug use were present in both groups at the follow-up. Diffusion of the ST intervention through informal peer teaching is a possible explanation for the change that occurred in both groups.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9-17 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Sex Education and Therapy |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 1999 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Janet St. Lawrence, PhD, is Chief of the Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch, Division of SID Prevention, at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Richard A. Crosby, PhD, is a Fellow of the Association for Teachers of Preventive Medicine; he also works in the Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch at CDC. At the time this work was completed, Lisa Belcher, PhD, was a behavioral scientist in the CDC Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch. Ted Brasfield is with the Community Health Program, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS. Nanolla Yazdani, PhD, is Director of the Oakley Training School, Raymond, MS, where the project was implemented. Funding for this demonstration project was provided by the CDC Di· vision of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and Levi Strauss Company. The authors express their appreciation to Brenda Parmalee and Walter J. Wood of the Mississippi Department of Youth Services; Tere Richards, Kennis Jefferson, Sherry Nolan, Mary Ellen Reynolds, Jim Sturges, Andrew Hadden, and the physicians and nurses from Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center who provided physical examinations and laboratory testing for the adolescents; the Mississippi Department of Health TB Prevention staff; and staff at Oakley Training School. Address for correspondence: Janet S. St. Lawrence, PhD, Chief, Behavioral Interventions and Research Branch, Division of SID Prevention, National Center for HIV, SID, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, M5-E44, Atlanta, GA 30329. Phone 404-639-8298, fax 404-639-8622, e-mail <nzs4@ cdc.gov>.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
