Similarities in sexual activity and condom use among friends within groups before and after a risk-reduction intervention
Fang, X.; Stanton, B.; Li, X.; Feigelman, S.; Baldwin, R.
Youth and Society 29(4): 431-450
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-118X PMID: 12156365 DOI: 10.1177/0044118x98029004002Document Number: 278359
Adolescent risk behavior is determined, in large part, by the perceived or actual social behavior of one's close friends. Thus, an intervention delivered to youth along with his or her friends could be a powerful vehicle for proactive behavior change. This possibility was assessed in 382 low-income African-American adolescent friends 9-15 years of age who were recruited from public housing developments for a longitudinal HIV risk-reduction program. These young people formed 76 friendship groups. The intervention, based on protection motivation theory, was delivered through weekly meetings of 38 of the friendship groups; the remaining 38 groups met weekly, but there were no social-cognitive interventions. Both groups received general education on HIV/AIDS and free condoms. In the intervention group, the percentage of groups in which all sexually active members used condoms increased from 33% at baseline to 69% after 6 months, 50% at 12 months (an expectable decline, indicating the need for a "booster" intervention), and 72% at 18 months. Among control friendship groups, however, homogeneous condom use within a group remained relatively stable: 17% at baseline, 18% at 6 months, 38% at 12 months, and 29% at 18 months. The intervention's impact was strongest among groups of youth with a low baseline prevalence of risk behaviors. These findings confirm the potential of use of group process as a vehicle for behavior change among adolescents.