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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2011 Oct;50(10):1065-74.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2011.06.018. Epub 2011 Aug 27.

Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR): human immunodeficiency virus prevention in alternative/therapeutic schools

Larry K Brown  1 , Nicole R Nugent, Christopher D Houck, Celia M Lescano, Laura B Whiteley, David Barker, Lisa Viau, Caron Zlotnick
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation (STAR): human immunodeficiency virus prevention in alternative/therapeutic schools

Larry K Brown et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011 Oct.

Abstract

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 < .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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant consent, randomization, and retention (CONSORT flowchart) for Project STAR (Safe Thinking and Affect Regulation).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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