Assessing the effects of a complementary parent intervention and prior exposure to a preadolescent program of HIV risk reduction for mid-adolescents.

OBJECTIVES

We (1) evaluated the impact of an evidence-based HIV prevention program with and without a parent component among mid-adolescents living in the Caribbean and (2) determined the effect of prior receipt of a related intervention during preadolescence on intervention response.

METHODS

A randomized, controlled 4-cell trial of a 10-session, theory-based HIV prevention intervention involving 2564 Bahamian grade-10 youths (some of whom had received a comparable intervention in grade 6) was conducted (2008-2011). Randomization occurred at the level of the classroom with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months after intervention. The 3 experimental conditions all included the youths' curriculum and either a youth-parent intervention emphasizing adolescent-parent communication, a parent-only goal-setting intervention, or no parent intervention.

RESULTS

An intervention delivered to mid-adolescents in combination with a parent-adolescent sexual-risk communication intervention increased HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom-use skills, and self-efficacy and had a marginal effect on consistent condom use. Regardless of prior exposure to a similar intervention as preadolescents, youths benefited from receipt of the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Preadolescents and mid-adolescents in HIV-affected countries should receive HIV prevention interventions that include parental participation.