Interventions to Improve Reproductive Health among Adolescents - Although 15-24 year olds are only 25% of the U.S. sexually active population, they account for nearly 50% of the 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI) each year. Although historically low, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate continues to be one of the highest in the developed world. Evidence-based prevention efforts can help avoid the costs and health consequences associated with STIs and unwanted teen pregnancy among youth. Making Proud Choices (MPC) is an evidence-based STI and pregnancy risk-reduction program with multiple trials demonstrating its effectiveness among teens. To promote faithful implementation, ETR, the non-profit organization that distributes MPC, encourages facilitators to complete their in-person training program. In-person training can yield high implementation fidelity, but is often inaccessible due to high cost, high turnover, and inconvenience. To address these limitations, programs have begun to develop online trainings. However, delivery methods of traditional online training (e.g., video, music, animation), even those that involve trainee practice, limit trainees’ ability to develop facilitator skills in sensitive subjects like sexual health and condom use, lack true give-and-take interactions.
Building upon existing partnerships, dfusion in collaboration with ETR, the RAND Corporation, Allen Interactions, and Dr. Loretta Jemmott (developer of MPC), propose to develop and test an online virtual training program to provide effective and accessible facilitator training for MPC. Based on promising research from RAND’s Project ALERT substance abuse prevention program that uses guided conversations to build skills and self-confidence in trainees, the proposed virtual training prototype will provide MPC facilitator trainees the opportunity to make decisions, build facilitator skills, practice core concepts and enhance self-efficacy with a virtual audience programmed to display a range of behaviors and emotions, simulating a true-to-life experience with immediate feedback. Seventy-two adults who have experience working with adolescents but not with MPC, STI, or pregnancy prevention education will receive MPC training. Participants will be randomly assigned to either: 1) virtual training in the MPC module on condom use n=36), or 2) dfusion/ETR’s traditional in-person training in the same module (n=36). Using mixed methods (survey, focus groups, observations), the project will evaluate the virtual training’s impact on STI/pregnancy prevention knowledge, teaching efficacy, and teaching skills and its usability, feasibility, and acceptability. This study also paves the way to develop and disseminate effective virtual trainings for a wide range of school- and community-based programs.
