SUMMARY

Originally developed for boys between 15 and 18 years of age, this is a one-hour, single-session, clinic-based intervention. The program is designed to meet the needs of sexually active and inactive teens, and to promote abstinence as well as contraception. The session begins with a video presentation that is viewed privately by each teen. The materials address reproductive anatomy, fertility, hernia, testicular self-examination, STDs (including HIV/AIDS), contraception (including abstinence), communication skills, and access to health services. A half-hour private consultation with a health care practitioner follows the presentation. Guided by the young men's interests, the consultation may include such topics as sexuality, fertility goals, and reproductive health risks, along with rehearsal and modeling of sexual communication. A field study of the intervention was conducted with 1,195 high school-aged males visiting health maintenance organizations in two Northwestern cities. Compared to a control group of their peers, sexually active program participants were significantly more likely to use effective contraception at the one-year follow-up assessment, especially if they were not yet sexually active at the time of the intervention. Sexually active female partners of program participants were also more likely to use effective contraception at the follow-up.

SUITABLE FOR USE IN

This program is suitable for use in hospital- or community-based clinics.

ORIGINAL INTERVENTION SAMPLE

Age, Gender
The field study involved 1,195 adolescent males ranging in age from 15 to 18 years.

Race/Ethnicity
91 % White, 5% African-American, 4% Asian, 1 % other.

PROGRAM LENGTH

The intervention is one hour in length, evenly divided between the counseling session and video presentation.

STAFFING REQUIREMENTS/TRAINING

Health care practitioners serve as counselors and provide a brief introduction to the video presentation. In the field study, special training was held to introduce staff to the program's "developmental counseling" strategies, as well as to review the video presentation. Throughout the study, one of the program leaders was available to answer questions and lead occasional staff meetings.