Study Details
Ybarra, M. L., Prescott, T. L., Phillips 2nd, G. L., Bull, S. S., Parsons, J. T., Mustanski, B. (2017). Pilot RCT results of an mHealth HIV prevention program for sexual minority male adolescents. Pediatrics, 140(1), e20162999.
Guy2Guy
Program Information
Evaluation Setting
Study Sample
Research Design
2
3 months after intervention end
Study Findings
NA = Not available. This means the authors did not report the information in the manuscripts associated with the studies we reviewed.
a This information was not available whenever authors did not report information for the treatment and comparison groups separately on outcome means, standard deviations, and/or sample sizes.
b Authors reported that the program effect (impact) estimate is statistically significant with a p-value of less than 0.05 based on a two-tailed test.
c For some outcomes, having less of that outcome is favorable. In those cases, an effect with a negative sign is favorable to the treatment group (that is, the treatment group had a more favorable outcome than the comparison group, on average).
d An effect shows credibly estimated, statistically significant evidence whenever it has a p-value of less than 0.05 based on a two-tailed test, includes the appropriate adjustment for clustering (if applicable), and it is not based on an endogenous subgroup.
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.