EVALUATION OF A KNOWLEDGE-BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL SKILLS-BUILDING INTERVENTION TO PREVENT STDS AND HIV-INFECTION IN HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a school-bas ed knowledge- and cognitive-behavioral skills-building STD/HIV prevent ion intervention. Subjects were 513 ethnically and racially diverse st udents attending four urban public high schools. The sample was 59% fe male and had a mean age of 14.4 years. A quasi-experimental design was utilized to evaluate the intervention which consisted of three class sessions. Results of hierarchcal regression analyses, controlling for baseline scores and demographic factors, indicate that this interventi on was effective at increasing STD knowledge (p < .05), and skills rel ated to prevention of risky sexual (p < .05) and drug use (p < .001) b ehavior. Although significant changes in risk behaviors were not detec ted, it is too soon to conclude that school-based education and skills building STD/HIV prevention interventions are ineffective at changing risk behaviors in adolescents. Implications for future study are addr essed.