Communication Skills Condom Use Program

OVERVIEW

 

The Communication Skills Condom Use Program is a self-efficacy intervention designed to increase students' confidence in discussing safer sex issues with their partner.  In this study, students were randomly assigned to a technical skills group, communication skills group, or a control group.  The communication skills group showed significant impacts on positive attitudes towards condoms, condom use self-efficacy, intention to use condoms, and perceived vulnerability to HIV when compared with the control group.  However, there was no impact on frequency of condom use at the three-month follow-up.

 

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

 

Target population: College students

 

The Communication Skills Condom Use Program focuses on increasing participants' belief (or self efficacy) in their communication and negotiation skills regarding safer sex.  Students discuss effective ways to communicate safer sex issues such as HIV testing, prior sexual experience, and personal beliefs about sexual behavior.  Participants engage in role play to increase confidence in suggesting alternatives to sexual intercourse and persuasion of their partner to use a condom.  Five to nine students meet in groups led by trained peer co-facilitators.  Groups meet for two, 1.5 hour sessions over two weeks.

 

A pair of facilitators recruited from a student organization in the campus health center leads each group.  Through their work at the health center, facilitators are familiar with reproductive health issues.  The facilitators receive four hours of training with an emphasis on strict adherence to the communication skills intervention protocol   Facilitators ranged in age from 19 to 22 years old.

 

 

EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM

 

Sanderson, C. A., & Jemmott, J. B. (1996). Moderation and mediation of HIV-prevention interventions: Relationship status, intentions, and condom use among college students. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26(23), 2076-2099.

 

Evaluated population: One-hundred and thirty six college students who responded to an advertisement for volunteers for safer sex education.  Ninety-seven percent of the participants were heterosexual and 71% had engaged in sexual intercourse at least once.  The mean age at first intercourse was approximately 17 years.  

 

Approach: Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a technical skills group (TS), communication skills group (CS), and a wait-list control group.  The TS group emphasized comfort, familiarity, and hedonistic beliefs about condom use.  For more information about the technical skills self-efficacy program, click here.

 

At pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up, students were assessed on condom use self-efficacy, attitudes towards condoms, perceived vulnerability to HIV, intention to use condoms, and condom use.

 

Results: At post-test, students in both treatment conditions reported significantly more positive attitudes towards condoms (a large effect size of 0.86), greater condom use self-efficacy (effect size =0.8), greater intention to use condoms (a medium effect size of 0.45), and greater perceived vulnerability to HIV (effect size = 0.47) when compared with the control group. 

 

At three months, only attitudes toward condoms (effect size = 0.58) and condom use self-efficacy (effect size = 0.52) remained significant.  There was a marginally significant impact on intentions to use condoms (p = 0.06).  Additionally, frequency of condom use had no significant impact when comparing treatment and control groups.

 

 

SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

 

References:

Sanderson, C. A., & Jemmott, J. B. (1996). Moderation and mediation of HIV-prevention interventions: Relationship status, intentions, and condom use among college students. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26(23), 2076-2099.

 

Program categorized in this guide according to the following:

 

Evaluated participant ages: 18-22

Evaluated participant grades: college students

Program age ranges in the guide: youth, young adults

Program components: school-based or clinic/provider-based

Measured outcomes: teen pregnancy and reproductive health

 

KEYWORDS: Young Adulthood (18-24), College Students, Teen Pregnancy, Reproductive Health, Condom Use, Risky Sex, std/hiv/aids, Education, Skills Training, School-based, Clinic-based, Provider-based.

 

Program information last updated on 9/17/09.

 

 

 

 

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