All4You

Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

ALL4YOU

OVERVIEW

The All4You program was designed to reduce the frequency of unprotected sex among students in alternative high schools. The program included classroom curriculum as well as service-learning activities. In a random assignment study, students at alternative schools assigned to implement the All4You program were compared with students at alternative schools assigned to a control group. At the 6-month follow-up, All4You students were significantly more likely than control students to have a used a condom at last intercourse. All4You students also reported having had less frequent sex and less frequent sex without a condom over the past three months. These impacts were no longer significant at the 12-month or 18-month follow-up, however. At no time point did the program have an impact on number of sexual partners, use of effective contraception at last intercourse, or pregnancies.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: students in alternative high schools

All4You’s nine classroom lessons were drawn from the Be Proud! Be Responsible! curriculum and the Safer Choices curriculum. Lessons addressed HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention; vulnerability to HIV, STDs, and pregnancy; negotiation skills; and condom use skills. All lessons were highly interactive and included activities such as role plays, demonstrations, discussions, and games.

All4You’s service-learning component included five visits to volunteer sites, including schools, senior centers, and service organizations. At these sites, students participate in a variety of service activities. Students were provided with exercises to prepare for their service activities and were given opportunities to reflect on their service.

The program lasted about 26 hours, in total, and was delivered by experienced health educators.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Coyle, K.K., Kirby, D.B., Robin, L.E., Banspach, S.W., Baumler, E., & Glassman, J.R. (2006). All4You! A Randomized Trial of an HIV, Other STDs, and Pregnancy Prevention Intervention for Alternative School Students. AIDS Education and Prevention, 18(3), 187-203.

Evaluated population: 988 students from 24 alternative schools in northern California served as the study sample for this investigation. In general, students had been referred to these schools because of severe discipline issues, substance use, and/or chronic absenteeism. Students ranged in age from 14 to 18. 28% were African American; 15% were Asian American; 29% were Hispanic; 12% were white; and 16% were of other ethnicity. At baseline, the majority of students (83%) reported already having had sexual intercourse.

Approach: Schools were randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. Schools assigned to the treatment group implemented the All4You curriculum. In most treatment schools, All4You was the only form of sex education provided to students. Schools assigned to the control group continued offering their usual sex education activities, which typically consisted of presentations by local speakers.

All students provided baseline data before the study began. Follow-up data were collected 6, 12, and 18 months after baseline. Follow-up data were difficult to collect, as students at alternative schools are extremely transient. That said, approximately 76% of students who provided baseline data responded to at least one follow-up survey.

Results: At the 6-month follow-up, students attending schools implementing the All4You program were more likely than students attending control schools to have used a condom at last intercourse. All4You students were also significantly less likely to have had sex without a condom during the previous three months (effect size = 0.34) and reported having engaged in sex less frequently over those three months (effect size = .19). These impacts were no longer significant at the 12-month or 18-month follow-up.

At no time point did All4You students significantly differ from control students on measures of number of sexual partners, use of effective pregnancy prevention methods, or number of pregnancies since baseline. Among students who were sexually inexperienced at baseline, All4You students were not significantly more likely than control students to remain sexually inexperienced at the 18-month follow-up.

Students from All4You schools increased their knowledge of HIV and condoms to a greater extent than did students from control schools. The program had mixed success improving students attitudes, beliefs, and self-efficacy, however. The program did not appear to impact behavioral intentions.

(Analyses took into account the fact that randomization occurred at the group level.)

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

References:

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 14-18

Evaluated participant grades: high school

Program age ranges in the guide: Adolescence, Youth

Program components: School-Based

Measured outcomes: Reproductive Health

Program information last updated on 12/20/07.