ARREST

AIDS RISK REDUCTION EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM

 

OVERVIEW

 

The ARREST Program was developed to reduce the risk of AIDS among inner-city adolescents.  In a random assignment study, adolescents assigned to take part in the ARREST intervention were compared with adolescents placed in a wait-list control group.  Following the intervention, compared with control subjects, treatment subjects had significantly greater AIDS-related knowledge, greater perceived risk of becoming HIV-infected, and superior communication and assertiveness skills.  In spite of ARREST’s positive impact on these outcomes, treatment subjects did not report changes in their sexual behaviors.  At follow-up, no significant differences were found between treatment subjects and control subjects on frequency of sex, number of sexual partners, or use of condoms.

 

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

 

Target population: inner-city, minority adolescents

 

The ARREST (AIDS Risk Reduction Education and Skills Training) Program was developed to reduce the risk of AIDS among inner-city adolescents.  The three-session curriculum was based on the health belief model and social learning theory and had five primary objectives:

§         To provide students with information about HIV transmission and prevention

§         To provide students with instruction on how to purchase condoms and demonstrations on how to properly use condoms with spermicide

§         To provide students with instruction on how to evaluate their level of risk and identify situations that are associated with risk behaviors

§         To improve students’ decision-making, communication, and assertiveness skills

§         To help students establish peer groups that will support and encourage HIV prevention and risk reduction

 

Each ARREST session included 30 minutes of review and question-and-answer and 60 minutes of new information.  New information was presented via direct instruction, modeling, skills-building exercises, role play, and group discussion.  At the end of each session, a take-home exercise was provided so that students could practice skills targeted during that session.

 

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

 

Kipke, M. D., Boyer, C., & Hein, K.  (1993).  An Evaluation of an AIDS Risk Reduction Education and Skills Training (ARREST) Program.  Journal of Adolescent Health, 14, 533-539.

 

Evaluated population: 87 adolescents from New York City served as the study sample for this investigation.  59% of subjects were Latino and 41% were African American.

 

Approach: Subjects were recruited from three community-based agencies that provided alternative educational instruction and an after-school program to high-risk youth in New York City.  Subjects were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the control group.  Treatment subjects were divided into small groups of 10-12 adolescents and were given the opportunity to take part in three 90-minute ARREST sessions with their group.  ARREST sessions were led by two AIDS educators.  Control subjects were put on a wait list and were given the opportunity to take part in the ARREST intervention once the study was complete.

 

All subjects were surveyed at baseline and again, four weeks later, following completion of the ARREST intervention.  At both pre-test and post-test, subjects were videotaped as they responded to three high-risk role-play scenarios.  Subjects’ tapes were coded for demonstrated communication and assertiveness skills.

 

Results: Following the intervention, subjects assigned to the treatment group had increased their AIDS-related knowledge to a greater extent than had control subjects (a large effect size of 0.94).  Treatment subjects had also increased their perception that adolescents are at risk for becoming HIV-infected (a medium effect size of 0.65) and decreased their negative attitudes about AIDS (a small effect size of 0.31).  Treatment students had not significantly increased their sexual self-efficacy, however.  Analysis of role-play responses revealed that, compared with control subjects, treatment subjects had significantly better assertiveness and communication skills in high-risk scenarios (a large effect size of 1.72).

 

In spite of ARREST’s positive impact on knowledge, attitudes, and assertiveness and communication skills, treatment subjects did not report changes in their sexual behaviors.  At follow-up, no significant differences were found between treatment subjects and control subjects on frequency of sex, number of sexual partners, or use of condoms.

 

Note: One adolescent was included in preliminary analyses, but dropped from primary analyses.

 

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

Curriculum materials are unavailable for purchase.

 

References:

Kipke, M. D., Boyer, C., & Hein, K.  (1993).  An Evaluation of an AIDS Risk Reduction Education and Skills Training (ARREST) Program.  Journal of Adolescent Health, 14, 533-539.

 

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 12-16

Program age ranges in the guide: Adolescence, Youth

Program components: Miscellaneous

Measured outcomes: Reproductive Health

 

 

KEYWORDS: Urban, AIDS, Adolescents, Adolescence (12-17), Reproductive Health, risky sex, sexual initiation, sexual behaviors, Life Skills Training, Latino or Hispanic, African American or Black, Community-Based, High-Risk, Self-Efficacy, Youth.

 

 

Program information last updated 9/18/07

		© Child Trends 2003