Original article
An evaluation of an AIDS Risk Reduction education and Skills Training (Arrest) program

https://doi.org/10.1016/1054-139X(93)90136-DGet rights and content

Abstract

Purpose. With the increasing rate of HIV infection among adolescents, there is an urgent need for interventions that will provide teenagers with information, the ability to make decisions, and the assertiveness and communication skills required for effective prevention and risk reduction. This study evaluated an AIDS Risk Reduction Education and Skills Training (ARREST) program designed for adolescents, ages 12–16 years.

Methods. Eighty-seven inner-city, African-American (36%) and Latino (55%) adolescents were recruited from community-based after-school programs, and randomly assigned to either the ARREST intervention or a waitlist control group. Adolescents assigned to the ARREST intervention participated in three 90-minute intervention sessions. ARREST was evaluated by comparing pre- and post-test scores on a battery of self-report measures and videotaped role-play simulations.

Results. Analyses revealed significant post-test differences between the ARREST and wait-list control groups, with teens in the ARREST group demonstrating significant changes in knowledge and negative attitudes about HIV/AIDS, perception of risk, and appropriate concern about contracting AIDS. Most importantly, adolescents in the ARREST group demonstrated a significant increase in behavioral skills for negotiating prevention and risk reduction, and resisting peer pressures to engage in risk-related sexual and drug-use behaviors.

Conclusions. ARREST was effective in meeting its shortterm objectives for changes in knowledge and behavioral skills, which are important prerequisites for behavior change. Replication with long-term follow-up assessment is needed, however, to determine this intervention's effectiveness at changing risk-related sexual and drug-use behaviors.

References (32)

  • L Strunin

    Adolescents' perceptions of risk for HIV infection: implications for future research

    Soc Sci Med

    (1991)
  • VI Rickert et al.

    A comparison of three clinicbased AIDS education programs on female adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior

    J Adolesc Health Care

    (1990)
  • A Novello
  • MJ Rotheram-Borus et al.

    Homeless youths and HIV infection

    Am Psychologist

    (1991)
  • SV Vermund et al.

    AIDS among adolescents in NYC: Case surveillance profiles compared with the rest of the U.S.

    Am J Dis Child

    (1990)
  • DS Burke et al.

    Human immunodeficiency virus infections in teenagers: seroprevalence among applicants for US military service

    JAMA

    (1990)
  • ME St. Louis et al.

    Human immunodeficiency virus infection in disadvantaged adolescents

    JAMA

    (1991)
  • HD Gayle et al.

    Prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus among university students

    N Engl J Med

    (1990)
  • DiClemente RJ. Epidemiology of AIDS, HIV seroprevalence and HIV incidence among adolescents. J School Health (in...
  • National Center of Health Statistics

    Trends in teenage childbearing: United States 1970–1981

  • DA Grimes

    Death due to sexually transmitted diseases

    JAMA

    (1986)
  • JG Lossick

    Epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases

  • Centers for Disease Control

    HIV-related beliefs, knowledge, and behaviors among high school students

    MMWR

    (1988)
  • RJ DiClemente et al.

    Adolescents and AIDS: A survey of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about AIDS in San Francisco

    Am J Public Health

    (1986)
  • N Reuben et al.

    Relationship of high risk behaviors to AIDS knowledge in adolescent high schools students

  • L Strunin et al.

    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and adolescents: Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes and behaviors

    Pediatrics

    (1987)
  • Cited by (74)

    View all citing articles on Scopus

    This work was supported in part by the Carnegie Corporation, the Centers for Disease Control, Health Resources and Service Administration, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Fund for the City of New York, Morgan Guaranty trust Company, W.T. Grant Foundation, Design Industries Foundation for AIDS, and The Samuel and May Rudin Foundation. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily the contributing foundations or agencies.

    View full text