Guy2Guy - INACTIVE

Inactive Reason
This program is inactive because it has not yet been released publicly and is therefore not available for implementation.
Developers

Center for Innovative Public Health Research

Program Summary

Guy2Guy is a comprehensive HIV prevention program delivered via text messaging to cisgender boys between the ages of 14 to 18 who identify as gay, bisexual, or queer ('cisgender' refers to individuals whose current gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth; CDC, 2023). Guy2Guy content focuses on HIV prevention, sexual risk reduction, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and bullying. The program includes five weeks of programming and a one-week booster period delivered six weeks post-intervention.

Intended Population

Guy2Guy was designed for cisgender boys between the ages of 14 and 18 who identify as gay, bisexual, or queer. The program was evaluated with young men between the ages of 14 to 17 who identify as lesbian, bisexual, or queer.

Program Setting

Guy2Guy is designed for and evaluated in any setting via text messaging.

Contact and Availability Information

Guy2Guy is not currently available to implement; however, if you want more information on the program, please contact Michele Ybarra, Ph.D. at michele@innovativepublichealth.org.

Sample of Curriculum Available for Review Prior to Purchase
No
Languages Available
English
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools
Monitoring and evaluation tools available
No
Monitoring and evaluation tool usage required
No
Program Components and Core Components

The data presented on this page reflect responses from the program’s developer or distributor to a program component checklist that asked them to report on the individual components within their TPP program. The same program component checklist was sent to the developer or distributor of every active TPP program with evidence of effectiveness. The program component table provides information on seven types of program components including content, delivery mechanism, dosage, staffing, format, context, and intended population characteristics; whether the component was present or optional in the program; whether the component is considered to be core to the program; and the lesson number or activity where the component can be found in the program.

In the drop-down menu below, under “Has component,” there are four options that indicate a component as present in the program: (1) “Yes” indicates that the component is present in at least one version of the program (whether that be the program version that was evaluated, the current version, or both versions); (2) “Yes (both versions)” indicates that the component is present in both the evaluated version of the program and the current version of the program; (3) “Yes (current version)” indicates that the component is present in the current, but not the evaluated, version of the program; and (4) “Yes (evaluated version)” indicates that the component is present in the evaluated version of the program, only. Note that for dosage components, the dosage itself is described in the Notes when available.

Some of the components identified are noted as core components of the evidence-based program, but this does not necessarily mean that these components have been rigorously tested and show evidence of effectiveness. Most often developers denoted components as core based on theory or experience in the field. Click here for the list of evidence-based components.

For more details about program components, refer to the FAQ page.

Program component data is not available.

Program Objectives

The goal of Guy2Guy is to provide content on HIV prevention, sexual risk reduction, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and bullying for sexually experienced and inexperienced cisgender gay, bisexual, or queer boys.

Program Content

Guy2Guy is guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral model of HIV preventive behavior. Topics covered in scripted text messages include the importance of HIV testing, sexual risk reduction, condom use, healthy and unhealthy relationships, relationship violence, coming out, and bullying. The program’s content is tailored based on sexual experience and sexual identity. In addition to receiving program content, participants have the option to be paired with another participant (a Text Buddy) they can text for support throughout the program.

Program Methods

The program is delivered through text messages.

Program Structure and Timeline

Guy2Guy includes five weeks of programming and a one-week booster period delivered six weeks post-intervention. Participants receive five to 10 daily text messages during the first five weeks of programming and the one-week booster period. All Text Buddy messages are run through a server to protect participants’ privacy.

Staffing

Staffing needed to implement the program includes staff to monitor the Text Buddy conversations, answer participant questions, and recruit and enroll participants.

Staff Training

Guy2Guy does not have staff training available.

Program Materials and Resources

Participants are required to have access to a text-capable phone. Unlimited text messaging plans are encouraged but not required.

Additional Needs for Implementation

None.

Fidelity

Guy2Guy does not have any fidelity guidelines since is not currently available to implement.

Technical Assistance and Ongoing Support

Guy2Guy does not have technical assistance or ongoing support.

Allowable Adaptations

Guy2Guy does not have any allowable adaptations since is not currently available to implement.

Adaptation Guidelines or Kit
No
Reviewed Studies
Citation High-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial Moderate-Quality Quasi-Experiment Low Study Rating Did Not Meet Eligibility Criteria

Ybarra et al. 2017

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

Ybarra et al. 2017

 		Texting 14 to 17 White Young men n.a.
n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
Study Findings

Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

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

Ybarra et al. 2017

 		Potentially unfavorable evidence n.a. Indeterminate evidence Favorable evidence n.a.
n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.
KEY
Evidence Indication
Favorable findings
Two or more favorable impacts and no unfavorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Potentially favorable findings
At least one favorable impact and no unfavorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Indeterminate findings
Uniformly null findings
Conflicting findings
At least one favorable and at least one unfavorable impact, regardless of null findings
Potentially unfavorable findings
At least one unfavorable impact and no favorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Unfavorable findings
Two or more unfavorable impacts and no favorable impacts, regardless of null findings
Note: n.a. indicates the study did not examine any outcome measures within that particular outcome domain, or the study examined outcome measures within that domain but the findings did not meet the review evidence standards.
Detailed Findings
Citation Details

Ybarra et al. 2017

The program was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial involving sexual minority males ages 14–18 who were recruited via Facebook. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group that received the five-week Guy2Guy program or a control group that received a different text messaging program on a general health topic. Surveys were administered at baseline before the program, at the end of the program, and three months after the program ended. A weeklong booster session was provided six weeks post-program. 

The study found that sexually inexperienced youth who participated in the program were significantly more likely to have obtained an HIV test in the preceding three months, both at program end (effect size = 0.64) and at three months after program end (effect size = 0.69). The study also found that among sexually experienced youth, those who participated in the program reported significantly less abstinence in the past three months at three months after program end (effect size = -0.34). 

The study found no statistically significant program impacts among sexually experienced youth on the number of sex acts without a condom in the past three months at program end and at three months after program end, nor on abstinence prevalence in the past three months at program end. Among sexually inexperienced youth, the study found no statistically significant program impacts on the number of sex acts without using a condom or the prevalence of abstinence in the past three months. These null findings held for program end and three months after program end.

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.