The development of an innovative, theory-driven, psychoeducational HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually active black adolescents with mental illnesses

ABSTRACT

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), continue to disproportionately affect Black adolescents. Those experiencing the psychological sequelae of mental illnesses are at increased risk. Here, we outline the development of an HIV/STI prevention intervention for heterosexually active Black adolescents with mental illnesses. This research was guided by a psychosocial expansion of the Theory of Planned Behavior, nested within a broader social determinants of health framework. A youth community advisory board provided study oversight. Heterosexually active Black adolescents aged 14–17 were recruited from community-based outpatient mental health providers for focus groups, surveys and two ‘dress rehearsals’ of the intervention protocol (N = 68). The qualitative and quantitative findings indicated that knowledge, attitudes and skills related to consistent condom use, reduced number of sexual partners, routine HIV/STI testing, abstinence and emotion regulation were important areas to target. These elicitation data provided insight into the context of HIV/STI risk for the study population, and were used to develop the intervention content. ‘Project GOLD: We are Kings and Queens’ was designed to be delivered over two days (3 hours per day), with eight, 45-min modules. The activities address behaviors, as well as cognitive, emotional, psychological and social processes associated with HIV/STI risk. Alongside evidence-based HIV/STI prevention strategies (e.g. sexual partner communication skills), the intervention activities are rooted in principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Dress rehearsal participants were in favor of the intervention and provided feedback on activity length, gender and cultural relevance and strategies to sustain attention; this information was used to finalize the curriculum. In partnership with the community, we developed a theoretically driven, gender and culturally relevant, developmentally and psychologically appropriate HIV/STI prevention program. Our ultimate goal is to standardize sexual health assessment and intervention in outpatient mental health treatment settings to meet sexual health needs in this underserved population.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• black
• emotion regulation
• HIV
• intervention
• sexual health

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the study participants, and thank the Made Aware with Care (MAC) research team and youth community advisory board for their assistance with the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Geolocation information

This study was conducted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Minority AIDS Research Initiative) under Grant U01PS003304 awarded to Dr. Bridgette M. Brawner; and by the Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center (PMHARC), an National Institutes of Health-funded program (P30 MH 097488). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institutes of Health.