Assisting in Rehabilitating Kids (ARK) - INACTIVE

Featured Grant OpportunitySchool Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) (Funding Opportunity) 

Featured Grant OpportunityShare with Youth: NOAA Student Opportunities Database

Inactive Reason

This program is inactive because it is not currently available for implementation.

Developers

Janet St. Lawrence, Ph.D.

Program Summary

Assisting in Rehabilitating Kids (ARK) is an intervention for substance dependent youth designed to increase abstinence and safer sex practices, and reduce risky sex behaviors. The intervention is delivered in small groups after the participants' initial detoxification in the drug treatment facilities. Delivery methods include games, group discusion, lectures, practice, and training. ARK is adapted from the Becoming a Responsible Teen (BART) program.

Intended Population

The program was designed for substance dependent adolescents.

Contact and Availability Information

Dr. Janet St. Lawrence
Mississippi State University, Meridian
1000 Highway 19 North
Meridian, MS 39308
Email: jlawrence@meridian.msstate.edu

Not Available for Implementation.

Sample of curriculum available for review prior to purchase

Adaptation guidelines or kit available

Languages available

English

Program Core Components

Program Objectives

The goal of ARK is to prevent HIV and other STIs among substance dependent youth by increasing abstinence and safer sex behaviors.

Program Methods

The program is delivered through group discussion, games, lectures, practice, and training.

Program Structure and Timeline

The program is delivered in twelve 90-minute sessions with small groups of participants.

Reviewed Studies

Citation	High-Quality Randomized Trial	Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial	Moderate-Quality Quasi-experiment	Low Study Rating	Did Not Meet Eligibility Criteria
St. Lawrence et al. 2002	✓

Study Characteristics

Citation	Setting	Majority Age Group	Majority Racial/Ethnic Group	Gender	Sample Size
St. Lawrence et al. 2002	Specialized setting	14 to 17	White	Youth of any gender	161

Study Findings

Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

Citation	Sexual Activity	Number of Sexual Partners	Contraceptive Use	STIs or HIV	Pregnancy
St. Lawrence et al. 2002				n.a.	n.a.

Detailed Findings

Citation Details

Citation	Details
St. Lawrence et al. 2002	The program was evaluated in a cluster randomized controlled trial involving substance-dependent adolescents recruited from two residential drug treatment facilities in Mississippi. Eight groups of adolescents were recruited for the study on a rolling basis over a three-year period from 1995 to 1998. Each group was randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a treatment group that received the full ARK intervention, (2) an alternative treatment group that received the first 11 sessions of ARK but not the 12th session on motivation, or (3) a control group that received a standard health education curriculum. Study data were collected with surveys administered before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention ended, and 6 and 12 months after the intervention ended. The study found that immediately after the four-week intervention ended, adolescents participating in the intervention were significantly more likely to report being abstinent, having fewer sexual partners and fewer occasions of unprotected vaginal intercourse, and having more occasions of condom-protected intercourse. Six months after the intervention ended, program impacts on abstinence, unprotected vaginal intercourse, and condom-protected intercourse remained statistically significant. Program impacts on the number of sexual partners were no longer statistically significant. Twelve months after the intervention ended, program impacts on abstinence, unprotected vaginal intercourse, and condom-protected intercourse remained statistically significant. Program impacts on the number of sexual partners were not statistically significant. The study also examined program impacts on the percentage of intercourse occasions that were condom protected. Findings for this outcome were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, the outcome was measured for a subgroup of youth defined by sexual activity at follow up. Additionally, the study examined program impacts on measures of AIDS knowledge, attitudes toward condoms and HIV prevention, self-efficacy, perceived risk, skill acquisition, and substance use. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because the outcomes fell outside the scope of the review.

St. Lawrence et al. 2002

The program was evaluated in a cluster randomized controlled trial involving substance-dependent adolescents recruited from two residential drug treatment facilities in Mississippi. Eight groups of adolescents were recruited for the study on a rolling basis over a three-year period from 1995 to 1998. Each group was randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a treatment group that received the full ARK intervention, (2) an alternative treatment group that received the first 11 sessions of ARK but not the 12th session on motivation, or (3) a control group that received a standard health education curriculum. Study data were collected with surveys administered before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention ended, and 6 and 12 months after the intervention ended.

The study found that immediately after the four-week intervention ended, adolescents participating in the intervention were significantly more likely to report being abstinent, having fewer sexual partners and fewer occasions of unprotected vaginal intercourse, and having more occasions of condom-protected intercourse. Six months after the intervention ended, program impacts on abstinence, unprotected vaginal intercourse, and condom-protected intercourse remained statistically significant. Program impacts on the number of sexual partners were no longer statistically significant. Twelve months after the intervention ended, program impacts on abstinence, unprotected vaginal intercourse, and condom-protected intercourse remained statistically significant. Program impacts on the number of sexual partners were not statistically significant.

The study also examined program impacts on the percentage of intercourse occasions that were condom protected. Findings for this outcome were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, the outcome was measured for a subgroup of youth defined by sexual activity at follow up. Additionally, the study examined program impacts on measures of AIDS knowledge, attitudes toward condoms and HIV prevention, self-efficacy, perceived risk, skill acquisition, and substance use. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because the outcomes fell outside the scope of the review.

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Assisting in Rehabilitating Kids (ARK) - INACTIVE

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