Replicating Intervention Efficacy with Youth in Community-Based Settings: Process Recommendations and Program Outcomes

Many interventions that address adolescents’ risk of negative sexual health outcomes are available; however, even “evidence-based” programs have often been evaluated in a single sample and have not been replicated in new settings or with new populations. Given our knowledge of the importance of tailoring interventions to population-specific characteristics (e.g., race, SES, risk status), a single efficacy trial is insufficient for establishing whether an intervention can be widely disseminated. The current study aims to replicate intervention efficacy of a web-based sexual health program previously found to be efficacious in a school-based sample of adolescent girls. We will conduct this evaluation replication with a community-based sample of high risk girls (i.e., girls engaging in problem behaviors like substance use and delinquency). Given that our program is web-based, it has the potential to be accessible to high-risk girls who often lack access to sexual health resources; however, we must replicate our evaluation and establish whether this intervention produces change in high-risk girls prior to dissemination.

This talk will focus on our four-step process of replicating a previous intervention. In Step 1, we established collaborations with 5+ community-based organizations. Then, we conducted usability with three high-risk girls. Currently, we are completing Steps 3 and 4. We are quantitatively evaluating the program with a target recruitment sample of 50 high-risk girls (12-19). We will compare intervention participants to a non-equivalent control group matched to intervention participants by propensity scores based on sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., race) and factors statistically related to our outcomes (e.g., impulsivity). We will also use qualitative interviews to get direct feedback from girls about the factors that may prevent them from utilizing program information and skills and how our program can be improved to better meet their needs. Preliminary pre-post results suggest the program improved girls’ intentions to communicate with a partner about sex [t(24)=-3.59, p<.001] and intentions to use condoms [t(24)=-2.80, p<.01]. Full results will be available by the conference date and presented.

This talk will also highlight lessons learned, challenges faced, and our recommendations to others hoping to replicate interventions, particularly those for adolescents in community-based settings. For example, throughout the evaluation, we have experienced many obstacles in recruiting participants, securing private testing space, and determining appropriate compensation. Further, we will discuss future directions for this intervention, including the potential for program adaptations and intervention implementation and dissemination.