THE HIV/AIDS ADOLESCENT RISK REDUCTION PROJECT

THE HIV/AIDS ADOLESCENT RISK REDUCTION PROJECT (HAARP) FOCUSES ON THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY EXISTING FOR SOME ADOLESCENTS AND HIV/AIDS. THE PROJECT IS BASED ON THE HYPOTHESIS THAT ADOLESCENTS WHO RECEIVE MOTIVATING INFORMATION RELATED TO THEIR VULNERABILITY TO HIV AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICE IN AIDS PREVENTION BEHAVIORS WILL HAVE LOWER HIV RISK SCORES THAN THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE COUPLED INTERVENTIONS. THE PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE VENTURE BETWEEN AIDS IMPACT, SEATTLE AND WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (WWU) IN BELLINGHAM, WA. THE HAARP STUDY WILL HAVE THREE INTERVENTIONS AND A CONTROL GROUP: (1) A MOTIVATING TRIGGER TAPE AIMED AT RAISING VULNERABILITIES WITH GUIDED DISCUSSION; (2) A SKILL-BUILDING REFUSAL SKILLS MODELING VIDEO AND ROLE PLAY AIMED AT INCREASING SELF-EFFICACY; AND (3) A COMBINED PAIRING OF THE PREVIOUS TWO INTERVENTIONS. A RISK ASSESSMENT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND ADMINISTERED PRE AND POST TO ALL GROUPS PLUS A CONTROL GROUP. THE 200 STUDENTS CHOOSING TO PARTICIPATE WILL BE FROM A POOL OF 650 RANDOMLY SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP TWO VIDEO TAPES AND FACILITATOR GUIDES AS INTERVENTION ELEMENTS: (1) A :07 TRIGGER TAPE AIMED AT ELICITING VULNERABILITY AND PROVIDING MOTIVATION; (2) AN :08 REFUSAL SKILLS TAPE PROVIDING MODELS.