Evaluating the Many Ways of Being Program (MWB)

Child Trends

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Unprotected Sex; Sexual Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: A career readiness program; Behavioral: Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05801601

90AP2693

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this randomized control trial is to clinical trial is to evaluate Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships.

The overall goal of the MWB program is to reduce incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unplanned pregnancy and promote healthy, consensual, and violence-free relationships among youth. The primary research question we aim to answer through this study is: Among youth ages 15-19, does the Many Ways of Being program reduce unprotected sex (through consistent and correct use of condoms and contraceptives) compared to the a career readiness program, which does not include sexual health components?

As part of the study, participants will be asked to:

• Attend approximately 14 hours and 40 minutes of programming completed over 4-8 weeks
• Complete baseline, post-intervention, and 9-month follow-up surveys
• For select participants who received the MWB program, participate in an optional focus group discussion

The local evaluation will focus on the impact of the entire MWB intervention, as compared to a similar-length control program focused on career readiness.

Enrollment: 700 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 15 to 19 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Youth age 15-19 in the greater Metropolitan DC area

Exclusion criteria

• Youth who are actively planning a pregnancy, have participated in the other sexual health programming through the LAYC previously, or are receiving other sexual health education during the implementation period. Youth who do not speak English and/or Spanish will also not be eligible to participate.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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700 participants in 2 patient groups

Many Ways of Being

Experimental group

Description:

In the experimental arm, Equimundo's Many Ways of Being program will be implemented. Youth will receive eight two-hour sessions or 16 one-hour sessions over four to eight weeks for a total of 14 hours and 40 minutes of programming.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships

A career readiness program

Active Comparator group

Description:

In the comparison arm, a curriculum focused on career readiness will be implemented. Youth will receive eight two-hour sessions or 16 one-hour sessions over four to eight weeks for a total of 14 hours and 40 minutes of programming.

Treatment:

Behavioral: A career readiness program