HIV Prevention With Adolescents: Neurocognitive Deficits and Treatment Response (SHARP)

This research is examining how genetic and brain factors play a role in adolescents' health risk behavior as well as studying behaviors that young people engage in that may place them at risk for contracting a sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS, and what kind of educational program works best to reduce these risky behaviors.

A baseline assessment is conducted, including a computer questionnaire assessing personality characteristics, attitudes toward and experiences with sex, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes, among other things. The participant also meets with a therapist to conduct a brief motivational interview at this time. A "Time-Line Follow-Back" is conducted; this notes incidences of sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, and cigarette use in a 30-day period. An fMRI is conducted, and a saliva sample is gathered. During the second session of the study, participants are randomly assigned to either a sex and alcohol risk reduction intervention, or a sex risk reduction intervention. After the intervention, participants are contacted at 3 month intervals (3 months later, 6 months later, 9 months later, and 12 months later) to meet. At these "follow-up" meetings, another Time-Line Follow-Back is conducted, along with another computer questionnaire (again assessing attitudes toward and experiences with sex, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes).

Intervention contains information geared toward sexual risk reduction as well as alcohol risk reduction.

2 hour 50 minute long intervention; includes presentation of STD/HIV facts, activities/games regarding safe sex, condom demonstration, video about sexual decision making, video about alcohol/sexual decision making, alcohol-related risk-reduction motivational interview, group discussion

1 hour 30 minute long intervention; includes presentation of STD/HIV facts, video about sexually transmitted diseases, review of STD/HIV facts

A Time-Line Follow-Back is a review of a recent 30-day period of the participant's life, wherein they note which days they engaged in any of the following activities: sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, cigarette use. Further details are also provided, such as whether a condom was used, how many alcoholic drinks were consumed, etc.

A Time-Line Follow-Back is a review of a recent 30-day period of the participant's life, wherein they note which days they engaged in any of the following activities: sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, cigarette use. Further details are also provided, such as whether a condom was used, how many alcoholic drinks were consumed, etc.

A Time-Line Follow-Back is a review of a recent 30-day period of the participant's life, wherein they note which days they engaged in any of the following activities: sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, cigarette use. Further details are also provided, such as whether a condom was used, how many alcoholic drinks were consumed, etc.

A Time-Line Follow-Back is a review of a recent 30-day period of the participant's life, wherein they note which days they engaged in any of the following activities: sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, cigarette use. Further details are also provided, such as whether a condom was used, how many alcoholic drinks were consumed, etc.

Questionnaire completed by participant assesses sexual activity/consequences/attitudes, alcohol use/consequences/attitudes, marijuana use/consequences/attitudes, cigarette use/consequences/attitudes within past few months

Questionnaire completed by participant assesses sexual activity/consequences/attitudes, alcohol use/consequences/attitudes, marijuana use/consequences/attitudes, cigarette use/consequences/attitudes within past few months

Questionnaire completed by participant assesses sexual activity/consequences/attitudes, alcohol use/consequences/attitudes, marijuana use/consequences/attitudes, cigarette use/consequences/attitudes within past few months

Questionnaire completed by participant assesses sexual activity/consequences/attitudes, alcohol use/consequences/attitudes, marijuana use/consequences/attitudes, cigarette use/consequences/attitudes within past few months

Inclusion Criteria: Adolescents age 14-18 Involved in Juvenile Justice System OR enrolled in a private school Exclusion Criteria: Currently taking anti-psychotics Involved in similar intervention-based study (2 similar studies being conducted simultaneously by this lab)