Aban Aya Youth Project

Developers
Brian Flay, D.Phil. and Sally Graumlich, Ed.D. CHES.
Program Summary
The Aban Aya Youth Project (Aban Aya) is a four-year program designed to teach students to practice abstinence, avoid drugs and alcohol, and resolve conflicts nonviolently, using an Afrocentric social development curriculum. The program is designed for students in 5th through 8th grade.
Intended Population
The program was designed for middle school students (grades 5 to 8). Although the program was evaluated with African American youth, it can be adapted to include non-African American students.
Program Setting

The program was designed to be delivered as a classroom-based, school curriculum, but can be adapted to community-based settings. The program was evaluated in a classroom-based setting.

Contact and Availability Information

Sociometrics Corporation
1580 W. El Camino Real, Suite 8
Mountain View, CA 94040
Ph: 650-949-3282
Email: socio@socio.com
Each grade-level program has its own webpage:
https://www.socio.com/products/pasha-aban-aya-grade-5
https://www.socio.com/products/pasha-aban-aya-grade-6
https://www.socio.com/products/pasha-aban-aya-grade-7
https://www.socio.com/products/pasha-aban-aya-grade-8

See above
Sample of curriculum available for review prior to purchase
No
Adaptation guidelines or kit available
No
Languages available
English
Program Core Components
Program Objectives
Aban Aya seeks to reduce multiple problem behaviors, including violence, substance use, delinquency, and sexual activity. The curriculum promotes abstinence, but also teaches safe sex practices, and provides accurate information about risky behaviors. It emphasizes spiral learning, including review and reinforcements following the end of the lessons.
Program Content
The Aban Aya curriculum covers abstinence, contraceptives, sexuality and STIs, behavioral skills, self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as African American history, values, and culture.
Program Methods

Aban Aya uses African teaching methods, including Nguzo Saba principles, storytelling, African/African American proverbs, African American History, and African American Literature.

Activities include group discussions, lectures, role play, video, games, homework, public service announcements, an anonymous question box, and, in 5th and 6th grade, quizzes.

Program Structure and Timeline
The program is designed to be delivered over four years. The number of lessons varies from 16 to 21 each year. Each lesson is 40 to 45 minutes in length. The lessons are designed to be taught in the classroom; however, the developer notes that the program could also be delivered in a community-based setting. 
Staffing
Facilitators must be health educators and be trained in delivering the curriculum. At least one health educator is required for each session.
Program Materials and Resources
The distributor (Sociometrics) offers the following program and evaluation materials:
  • User's Guide
  • Facilitator's Manual
  • Fidelity toolkit
  • Photocopy masters of student handbooks, posters, and other program materials for all four years of the intervention
  • Local Evaluator Consultant Network Directory
  • Evaluation instrument
  • Prevention Minimum Evaluation Data Set Jr+ (PMEDS Jr+)

While a free sample curriculum is not available, providers may purchase an automatic digital download of the user's guide to review program components, core competencies for facilitators, and scientific evidence of effectiveness. If providers decide to purchase the program, the price of the download is deducted.

Additional Needs for Implementation
Materials needed for implementation of the program include a wall map of Africa, posters or diagrams of male and female anatomy, and current music/songs to address curriculum issues.
Fidelity
Aban Aya has a fidelity toolkit/checklist for each year of the program (5th through 8th grade). These may be accessed on the webpage of each grade-level program in the Sociometrics website:
Staff Training
Training is strongly encouraged, but is not required. Training is offered by Sociometrics and is usually done for the first year curriculum over two to three days, with yearly booster sessions to cover the additional year(s) curriculum. Teachers are also trained by the facilitators and/or program coordinators at the beginning of each academic year.
Technical Assistance and Ongoing Support
Sociometrics provides telephone technical support on implementation and evaluation for one year with purchase of the program materials.
Allowable Adaptations
Adaptations such as changes in the target population ethnicity or in the literature and stories are allowed, but all adaptations are by consultation only and must be approved by the developer and Sociometrics.
Reviewed Studies
Citation High-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Quasi-experiment Low Study Rating Did Not Meet Eligibility Criteria

Flay et al. 2004

 		✓
Study Characteristics
Citation Setting Majority Age Group Majority Racial/Ethnic Group Gender Sample Size

Flay et al. 2004

 		In school: Middle school 13 or younger African American or Black Youth of any gender 1153
Study Findings

Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

Citation Sexual Activity Number of Sexual Partners Contraceptive Use STIs or HIV Pregnancy

Flay et al. 2004

 		Potentially favorable evidence n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Detailed Findings
Citation Details

Flay et al. 2004

 		The program was evaluated in a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 12 high-risk metropolitan schools in Chicago, IL. Each of the 12 schools in the study was randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a group that implemented the Aban Aya curriculum, (2) a group that implemented the Aban Aya curriculum plus additional school and community support programs, and (3) a control group that implemented a general health curriculum focused on nutrition, physical activity, and general health care.

The study found that at the time the program ended in the spring of eighth grade, boys participating in the intervention were significantly less likely to report having had recent sexual intercourse. The study found no statistically significant program impacts on sexual intercourse for girls.

The study also examined program impacts on measures of condom use. Findings for condom use were not considered for this review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, findings were reported only for subgroups of youth defined by sexual activity at follow-up. In addition, the study examined program impacts on measures of violence, provoking behaviors, school delinquency, and substance use. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they fell outside the scope of the review.

Notes

Some study entries may include more than one citation because each citation examines a different follow-up period from the same study sample, or because each citation examines a different set of outcome measures on the same study sample. A blank cell indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within the particular outcome domain or the findings for the outcome measures within that domain did not meet the review evidence standards.

Information on evidence of effectiveness is available only for studies that received a high or moderate rating. Read the description of the review process for more information on how these programs are identified.