Evaluation of Manhood 2.0: A Community-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program for Young Men

Child Trends

Status: Completed

Conditions: Unprotected Sex; Sexual Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Post-High School Readiness; Behavioral: Manhood 2.0

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04962802

5U01DP006129

Details and patient eligibility

About

Manhood 2.0 is a male-only group-level intervention, delivered over 13 hours, based on social cognitive theory, social norm theory, theory of gender and power, and the theory of reasoned action. The intervention is a gender-transformative program that promotes critical reflection and awareness on reproductive health, healthy relationships, gender norms and stereotypes that drive reproductive health behavior, and explicit and proactive support of female partner contraceptive use. Activities include group discussion, role playing, knowledge sharing, and skill-building; their purpose is to challenge young men to think critically about social expectations and restrictive norms, engage in dialogue about these gender norms, and then assess the way rigid norms affect their attitudes and behaviors toward a number of key issues, including intimate relationships, gender-based violence, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, and early pregnancy. Young men receive the intervention at a local community center or high school. Comparison condition young men receive a post-high school readiness program that does not discuss gender norms or sexual and reproductive health. The study was conducted with six cohorts of eligible young men ages 15-18 who received a baseline, immediate post-intervention, and three-month post-intervention survey. To participate in the study, individuals had to meet all the following criteria: (1) Identify as male; (2) Ages 15 to 18; (3) Not actively planning a pregnancy with someone; (4) Never participated in the community center's sexual and reproductive health program; (5) Received no additional sexual or reproductive health programming in the last three months; (6) Able to participate in a program delivered in English only.

The investigators hypothesized that Manhood 2.0 participants would have lower rates of unprotected sex and more equitable attitudes towards gender than comparison participants.

Enrollment: 110 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 15 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Male
• Ages 15-18
• Able to participate in a program delivered only in English

Exclusion criteria

• Actively planning a pregnancy with someone
• Received sexual and reproductive health programming in the last 3 months
• Ever participated in the intervention site's sexual and reproductive health program

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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110 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Manhood 2.0

Experimental group

Description:

Manhood 2.0 is a group-level intervention, delivered in 7 sessions over 13 hours, and is based on social cognitive theory, social norm theory, theory of gender and power, and the theory of reasoned action. Sessions were delivered twice a week, for approximately 3.5 weeks. For the final session, participants received one hour of content and were administered the immediate post-intervention survey. The intervention takes a holistic, gender-transformative approach, includes reproductive health knowledge, healthy relationships, altering gender norms and stereotypes which drive reproductive health behavior, and explicit and proactive support of female partner contraceptive use. Activities are designed to engage young men in critical reflection and dialogue about gender norms, and then apply these discussions to a range of key issues including intimate relationships, gender-based violence, substance abuse, STIs, and early pregnancy.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Manhood 2.0

Post-High School Readiness

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

The Post-High School Readiness Program helped youth build skills around identifying colleges or programs of interest, completing applications for programs, writing resumes and increasing financial literacy. The post-high school readiness curriculum was delivered by LAYC staff members and the content was delivered twice a week, for approximately 3.5 weeks (as with the intervention). For the final session, participants did not receive content and were administered the immediate post-intervention survey.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Post-High School Readiness