Project CHARM (Children's Health and Responsible Mothering)

Guide to Effective Programs
for Children and Youth

PROJECT CHARM

OVERVIEW

Project CHARM is an HIV risk-reduction curriculum designed for pregnant adolescents and young mothers. In an experimental study, schools housing pregnant minor/young parents’ programs were randomly assigned to implement either Project CHARM or a health-promoting control intervention. Analyses of trends over time revealed that students assigned to the Project CHARM intervention increased their AIDS knowledge and intentions to use condoms to a greater extent than did students assigned to the control intervention over the course of the study. The effect size for knowledge was fairly large (.79), though the effect size for intentions was smaller (.33). Project CHARM also had a short-term impact on students’ number of sexual partners. At the six-month follow-up, Project CHARM students reported having significantly fewer sexual partners than did control students. This was no longer the case at the 12-month follow-up. At none of the follow-ups did Project CHARM students significantly differ from control students on frequency of unprotected intercourse.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

Target population: Latina and African American pregnant adolescents and young mothers

Project CHARM (Children’s Health And Responsible Mothering) is a modified version of the Be Proud! Be Responsible! HIV-prevention intervention. Based on social cognitive theory and the Theory of Reasoned Action, Project CHARM includes eight hours of interactive, culturally-appropriate instruction. The curriculum emphasizes the role of maternal protectiveness in motivating adolescents to reduce risky sexual behavior, sexual responsibility and accountability, and political awareness of the effects of HIV/AIDS on inner-city communities. Special topics include the impact of HIV/AIDS on pregnant women and their children, HIV/AIDS prevention during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and special concerns of young mothers that may influence sexual risk taking.

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

Koniak-Griffin, D., Lesser, J., Nyamathi, A., Uman, G., Stein, J. A., & Cumberland, W. G. (2003). Project CHARM: An HIV Prevention Program for Adolescent Mothers. Family & Community Health, 26(2), 94-107.

Evaluated population: 497 pregnant adolescents and young mothers from Los Angeles, California served as the study sample for this investigation. Subjects were predominantly poor and had a mean age of 16. 78% were Latina and 18% were African American. The majority of subjects (88%) were in steady relationships.

Approach: Los Angeles county schools with pregnant minor or young parents’ programs were randomly assigned to the treatment group or to the control group. Students at treatment schools received the Project CHARM curriculum over the course of four two-hour sessions. Students at control schools took part in a health promotion program that was similar to Project CHARM in organization, format, length, and delivery mode. This program dealt with life planning, parenting, communication, coping, and staying healthy. Both programs were led by trained nurse facilitators.

All students completed baseline surveys before entering the program. Students also completed surveys immediately after the program and 3, 6, and 12 months later.

Results: Analyses of trends over time revealed that students assigned to the Project CHARM intervention increased their AIDS knowledge and intentions to use condoms to a greater extent than did students assigned to the control intervention over the course of the study. The effect size for knowledge was fairly large (.79), and the effect size for intentions was smaller (.33). Project CHARM also had a short-term impact on students’ number of sexual partners. At the six-month follow-up, Project CHARM students reported having significantly fewer sexual partners than did control students. This was no longer the case at the 12-month follow-up. At none of the follow-ups did Project CHARM students significantly differ from control students on frequency of unprotected intercourse.

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

The original Be Proud! Be Responsible! curriculum (upon which ¡Cuídate! is based) is available for purchase at:

http://www.selectmedia.org/curriculum.asp?curid=4

References:

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

Evaluated participant ages: 15-18

Program age ranges in the guide: Youth

Program components: School-Based

Measured outcomes: Reproductive Health

Program information last updated 9/19/07