An Evaluation of an Online Sexual Assault Resistance Program (IDEA3)

University of Maryland

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Sexual Assault

Treatments: Behavioral: IDEA3 Sexual Assault Resistance Intervention; Behavioral: Consent Workshop

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06058455

183649 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

23-063 (Other Identifier)

HUM00229565

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this randomized trial is to test whether the Internet-Delivered Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (IDEA3) sexual assault resistance education intervention reduces sexual violence victimization in undergraduate women.

Participants in the intervention group will be asked to attend four three-hour group sessions of a sexual assault resistance program called IDEA3 with a partner, as well as fill out a number of surveys. Participants in the control group will be asked to attend a one-hour consent workshop with a partner and fill out surveys.

Researchers will compare sexual assault victimization between the groups in the one year following the intervention.

Full description

Sexual violence (SV), which occurs along a continuum from unwanted sexual contact to rape, is common among young women, with some 40% experiencing sexual assault during their time in college. Given the numerous negative consequences associated with SV, developing effective SV prevention and resistance programs for young adult women is critical for reducing victimization and improving health outcomes for adolescent girls. The Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance program has been shown to substantially reduce rates of SV (50% for rape and attempted rape) in young women attending university (ages 17-24). The purpose of the current study is to test the efficacy of the newly adapted Internet-Delivered Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (IDEA3) program in reducing sexual violence victimization among undergraduate women over 12 months of follow-up. IDEA3 is a 12-hour psychoeducational intervention that provides information, skills, and practice aimed at a) decreasing the time needed for young women to assess sexually coercive situations as dangerous and to take action, b) reducing emotional obstacles to taking action, c) increasing the use of the most effective methods of verbal and physical self-defense, and d) identifying sexual and relationship values and boundaries and reinforcing the right to defend them.

Enrollment: 1,920 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 17 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 1st- and 2nd-year university students at one of the 4 sites
• female-identifying students
• students between ages of 17-24
• able to attend one of the scheduled program groups
• able and willing to be matched with another eligible student

Exclusion criteria

- None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1,920 participants in 2 patient groups

IDEA3 sexual assault resistance intervention

Experimental group

Description:

IDEA3 curriculum will be delivered by pairs of trained facilitators over Zoom to reach up to 8 pairs of female-identified university students in four, 3-hour units. The four units will be spread over two to four weeks' time.

Treatment:

Behavioral: IDEA3 Sexual Assault Resistance Intervention

Consent workshop

Active Comparator group

Description:

Randomized participants who do not receive the intervention will receive one 60-minute session consisting of an internet delivered (Zoom) consent workshop.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Consent Workshop