Alcohol, Marijuana, and Risky Sex: Group Interventions With Detained Adolescents (MARS)

This research is 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.

During baseline assessment, a computer questionnaire is administered, including questions about participants' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding sexual behavior, condom use, and drug use. A saliva sample is provided as well. A "Time-Line Follow-Back" is conducted, noting on which days certain activities occurred, such as sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, and cigarette use. A urine sample is also collected in order to test for the STD's chlamydia and gonorrhea (if results are positive, we schedule a meeting with the participant to administer medication to treat the STD). In the second session, a 3-hour interventional health class is held with groups of same-gender participants. There are 3 different health classes (one focusing just on sex risk reduction, one focusing on sex and alcohol risk reduction, and one focusing on sex, alcohol, and marijuana risk reduction); participants are randomly assigned to one. Participants are contacted 3 months after the intervention, 6 months after, 9 months after, and 12 months after, in order to meet. These meetings entail completing another Time-Line Follow-Back and completing another questionnaire. At the final 12 month meeting, we collect another urine sample to again test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. As before, if results are positive, we schedule a meeting with the participant to administer medical treatment.

Intervention includes presentation of STD facts, safe sex activities, condom demonstration, video about sexual decision making, group discussion

Intervention includes presentation of STD/alcohol facts, safe sex activities, condom demonstration, video about alcohol/sexual decision making, group discussion

Intervention includes presentation of STD/alcohol/marijuana facts, safe sex activities, condom demonstration, video about alcohol/marijuana/sexual decision making, group discussion

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.

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, particularly 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, particularly 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, particularly 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, particularly 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, particularly within past few months

Inclusion Criteria: Ages 14-18 Involved in Juvenile Justice System (living in the Detention Center when recruited) Exclusion Criteria: Currently taking anti-psychotics Involved in similar intervention-based study (2 similar studies being conducted simultaneously by this lab)

Schmiege SJ, Magnan RE, Yeater EA, Feldstein Ewing SW, Bryan AD. Randomized Trial to Reduce Risky Sexual Behavior Among Justice-Involved Adolescents. Am J Prev Med. 2021 Jan;60(1):47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.07.009.

Bryan AD, Magnan RE, Gillman AS, Yeater EA, Feldstein Ewing SW, Kong AS, Schmiege SJ. Effect of Including Alcohol and Cannabis Content in a Sexual Risk-Reduction Intervention on the Incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Apr 2;172(4):e175621. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.5621. Epub 2018 Apr 2.