Evaluating the Many Ways of Being Program

Child Trends700 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this randomized control trial is to clinical trial is to evaluate Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships. The overall goal of the MWB program is to reduce incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unplanned pregnancy and promote healthy, consensual, and violence-free relationships among youth. The primary research question we aim to answer through this study is: Among youth ages 15-19, does the Many Ways of Being program reduce unprotected sex (through consistent and correct use of condoms and contraceptives) compared to the a career readiness program, which does not include sexual health components? As part of the study, participants will be asked to: * Attend approximately 14 hours and 40 minutes of programming completed over 4-8 weeks * Complete baseline, post-intervention, and 9-month follow-up surveys * For select participants who received the MWB program, participate in an optional focus group discussion The local evaluation will focus on the impact of the entire MWB intervention, as compared to a similar-length control program focused on career readiness.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

700

Conditions

Sexual Behavior Unprotected Sex

Interventions

Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationshipsBEHAVIORAL

The Many Ways of Being program is a gender-synchronous program informed by Equimundo's existing single-gender Manhood 2.0 and Sisterhood 2.0 programs. The curriculum is designed to shift unequal gender attitudes and behaviors and provide skill-building on maintaining healthy relationships, making healthy and informed decisions around sex, and avoiding risky sexual behaviors.

A career readiness programBEHAVIORAL

Youth enrolled in the control condition will receive a career readiness curriculum, either International Youth Foundation's Passport to Success, LAYC's Next Generation program or LAYC's Career Readiness Curriculum, depending on the site and implementation period. These programs equip young people with a range of professional, employment readiness, and practical skills that will help them stay in school and acquire the education, professional skills, employment

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 15 YearsMax age: 19 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Youth age 15-19 in the greater Metropolitan DC area Exclusion Criteria: * Youth who are actively planning a pregnancy, have participated in the other sexual health programming through the LAYC previously, or are receiving other sexual health education during the implementation period. Youth who do not speak English and/or Spanish will also not be eligible to participate.

Locations (1)

LAYC's Teen Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Condomless sex (measure 1)

Vaginal or anal sex without a condom in the past 3 months (yes/no). Yes if had vaginal or anal sex in the past 3 months and did not use a condom "all the time". No if did not have sex or used a condom "all the time".

Time frame: 9 months following program completion

Unprotected vaginal sex (measure 2)

Vaginal sex without any contraception (including condom) in the past 3 months (yes/no) Yes if had sex in the past 3 months and did not use a contraceptive "all the time". No if did not have sex or used a contraceptive "all the time".

Time frame: 9 months following program completion

Secondary Outcomes

Sexual agency

The respondent reported that they communicated what they "liked, disliked, or wanted to try" "all" or "most" of the time and that they asked what their partner "liked, disliked, or wanted to try" "all" or "most" of the time when participating in any sexual activity (including sexual touching) in the past 3 months OR respondent was not sexually active in the past 3 months. (yes/no)

Time frame: 9 months following program completion

Knowledge related to healthy relationships

Able to identify healthy and unhealthy relationship scenarios (% correct out of 7 items)