Project TALC

Developers

Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Ph.D.

Program Summary
Project TALC (Teens and Adults Learning to Communicate) is a 24-session social learning program designed to provide coping skills to HIV-positive parents and their adolescent children. The program seeks to reduce adolescents' emotional distress, problem behaviors, and pregnancy.
Intended Population
The program was designed for youth ages 11 to 18 living with a parent with HIV. It was evaluated with mostly Latino youth 14 to 17 years old.
Program Setting

The program was designed for and evaluated in community centers.

Contact and Availability Information
Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Ph.D.
The Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services (CHIPTS)
University of California, Los Angeles
10920 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 350
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Ph: 310-794-8280
Email: mrotheram@mednet.ucla.edu
Website: http://chipts.ucla.edu/projects/talc-nyc/
Sample of Curriculum Available for Review Prior to Purchase
Yes
Languages Available
English
Monitoring and Evaluation Tools
Monitoring and evaluation tools available
Yes
Monitoring and evaluation tool usage required
No
Information about available monitoring and evaluation tools (if applicable)

Project TALC provides monitoring and evaluation tools, including the surveys and scales used in the original research study. The list of surveys and scales is available at https://chipts.ucla.edu/research/talc-la/.

Program Core Components

The data presented on this page reflects 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 data on seven types of program components including content, delivery mechanism, dosage, staffing, format, environment, 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. For more details, refer to the FAQ.

Program component data is not available.

Program Objectives
Project TALC seeks to reduce emotional distress, risky behaviors, and pregnancy among adolescents who have a parent with HIV. The program focuses on coping, problem solving, goal setting, and increasing knowledge and skills related to safer sex practices.
Program Content
Project TALC is based on Social Learning Theory. The eight parent-only sessions address:
  • Adapting to HIV-positive status
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
  • Dealing with the emotional reaction and stigma around the disease
  • How to disclose HIV status to one's children

The sixteen joint adolescent and parent sessions address:

  • Reducing emotional distress
  • Maintaining positive family relationships
  • Avoiding risky behaviors and pregnancy

Additional sessions for adolescents whose parents die from the disease focus on:

  • Dealing with loss and grief
  • Adjusting to new relationships
  • Preventing risky behaviors and pregnancy
Program Methods
The program is delivered through small group discussion, activities, and role play.
Program Structure and Timeline

The 24 small group sessions can be delivered over 12 weeks or can be spread out over four to six years. Sessions are two to three hours in length; however, the length and number of sessions can vary depending on the needs of families. The first eight sessions are delivered only to parents and the remaining 16 sessions are delivered to parents and their adolescent children.

There are additional sessions available for children whose parents die from the disease that involve the new guardian or caregiver.

Staffing
Staff should include at least one trained Project TALC facilitator with at least a B.A. degree.
Staff Training
Implementers should be trained in the skills common across all evidence-based interventions. Providers interested in formal training should contact Dr. Rotheram-Borus.
Program Materials and Resources
The Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) has updated the Project TALC materials since the original evaluation, and provides updated manuals for each session on its website: http://chipts.ucla.edu/projects/talc-la/.
Additional Needs for Implementation
Materials needed for the program activities are: 
  • Raffle tickets
  • Prizes
  • A feeling thermometer
  • Value cards
  • Strokes/"Thanks" cards (cards participants give to each other to express appreciation)
  • Handouts
  • Scripts
  • Female and male condoms
  • Lubricant
  • Models of the female and male reproductive system
Fidelity
There are no written fidelity guidelines or benchmarks for Project TALC.
Technical Assistance and Ongoing Support
Site visits and in-person training can be made available.
Allowable Adaptations
All proposed adaptations must be approved by the developer. The program has previously been adapted for use in seven other countries: Thailand, China, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya, India, and Haiti.
Adaptation Guidelines or Kit
No
Study Findings

Evidence by Outcome Domain and Study

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

Rotheram-Borus, M.J., Lee, M., Leonard, N., Lin, Y.Y., Franzke, L., Turner, E., Lightfoot, M., Gwadz, M. (2003). Four-year behavioral outcomes of an intervention for parents living with HIV and their adolescent children. AIDS, 17, 1217-1225.

Rotheram-Borus, M.J., Lee, M., Lin, Y.Y., Lester, P. (2004). Six-year intervention outcomes for adolescent children of parents with the human immunodeficiency virus. Archives of Pedicatric Adolescent Medicine 158, 742-748.

Rotheram-Borus, M. J., Stein, J. A., Lester, P. (2006). Adolescent adjustment over six years in HIV-affected families. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(2), 174-182.

May, S., Lester, P., Ilardi, M., Rotheram-Borus, M. J. (2006). Childbearing among daughters of parents with HIV. American Journal of Health Behavior, 30(1), 72-84.

 		n.a. Indeterminate evidence n.a. n.a. Potentially favorable evidence
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

Rotheram-Borus, M.J., Lee, M., Leonard, N., Lin, Y.Y., Franzke, L., Turner, E., Lightfoot, M., Gwadz, M. (2003). Four-year behavioral outcomes of an intervention for parents living with HIV and their adolescent children. AIDS, 17, 1217-1225.

Rotheram-Borus, M.J., Lee, M., Lin, Y.Y., Lester, P. (2004). Six-year intervention outcomes for adolescent children of parents with the human immunodeficiency virus. Archives of Pedicatric Adolescent Medicine 158, 742-748.

Rotheram-Borus, M. J., Stein, J. A., Lester, P. (2006). Adolescent adjustment over six years in HIV-affected families. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(2), 174-182.

May, S., Lester, P., Ilardi, M., Rotheram-Borus, M. J. (2006). Childbearing among daughters of parents with HIV. American Journal of Health Behavior, 30(1), 72-84.

The study evaluated the program using a cluster randomized controlled trial involving adolescents whose parents were living with HIV. The evaluation was conducted in community centers located in New York City. Families were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that received the Project TALC program or a control group that received only the standard services provided by the New York City Division of AIDS Services. The study collected data with surveys that were administered periodically over a 4-year period—every 3 months during the first 2 years of the study and every 6 months afterwards. The study found that four years after the program started, adolescents from families that were assigned to the treatment group were statistically significantly less likely to report being a teenage parent than adolescents from families that were assigned to the control group. The study found no statistically significant program impact on the number of sexual partners. The study also examined program impacts on measures of emotional distress, problem behaviors, self-esteem, and family life stressors. 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.