Web-Based Middle School HIV Prevention Curricula: Aspiring for Reach and Impact

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based HIV, sexually
transmitted infection (STI), and pregnancy prevention curriculum as a stand alone
intervention for 8th grade students in a large urban school district. Twenty middle schools
were invited to participate in the study. From those schools, we randomized 10 to the
intervention group and 10 to the comparison condition, and will then recruit a cohort of
2,000 8th grade students into the study. Parental permission and youth assent will be
required prior to participation. Students will be asked to complete a baseline and 12-month
follow-up survey. The web-based curriculum will be adapted from the computer-based component
of an existing successful prevention program, It's Your Game…Keep it Real, (IYG) but will be
enhanced to include critical elements from the IYG classroom component. The web-based
intervention will consist of 13 lessons and will tailor information to the individual's
gender and to his/her intentions or behaviors related to sexual risk-taking. The program
will address peer norms, attitudes, self-efficacy, refusal skills, and communication skills
related to healthy relationships, dating, and sexual risk-taking behavior. The primary
hypothesis to be tested is: (1) students who receive the web-based curriculum will delay
sexual activity relative to those who receive standard care. The major dependent variable is
the proportion of students initiating sexual activity (vaginal, oral, or anal sex).
Secondary hypotheses will examine the effect of the web-based curriculum on specific types
of sex (e.g., vaginal, oral, anal) and psychosocial variables such as students' intentions,
knowledge, self-efficacy, attitudes, and perceived norms related to sexual risk-taking
behavior. Secondary hypotheses will also examine the effect of the intervention on the
proportion of students who are sexually active, number of times students engage in
unprotected sexual intercourse, and students' number of sexual partners.

Inclusion Criteria:

- 8th graders attending regular classes in Houston Independent School District

Exclusion Criteria:

- No students will be excluded based on race/ethnicity, age, or gender

- Students will be informed that the surveys and intervention will only be available
in English and will be asked to consider their comfort level with participating in
the study.