Introduction: A national abstention-based pregnancy prevention program was
tested among high school inner city youth. Since 1980, the Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity Inc has implemented the Project Alpha, a national fraternity pro
gram, to teach males about sexual responsibility. This paper reports on the
evaluation of a new subcomponent of Project Alpha.
Methods: The study population consisted of 200 males attending high school
in Houston, Texas. The study used a quasiexperimental pretest-posttest untr
eated reference group design. Measured constructs included knowledge, self-
efficacy, perceived risk, beliefs, social norms and sexual intentions.
Intervention: Based on the pantheoretical model,ten 50-minute sessions feat
uring role model stories were distributed and discussed to intervention stu
dents. These stories were facilitated by college and graduate students and
featured stories of community members and professional athletes who support
teenage abstention from sex.
Results: The inclusive approach of using community role models to promote b
ehavioural change was found to make a positive impact. Significant effects
were observed on student knowledge, self-efficacy, perceived social norms a
nd beliefs.