Sexual Risk Reduction and Anger Management Interventions for Incarcerated Male Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Interventions

Abstract

The present study evaluated a behavioral STD/HIV risk reduction intervention and a violence prevention intervention for incarcerated adolescent male offenders. Participants were 428 male juvenile offenders entering a state reformatory and randomly assigned to either a 6-session anger management (AM) intervention or a 6-session sexual risk reduction skills-training (ST) intervention. Assessments prior to and immediately following the intervention included cognitive mediating measures such as AIDS knowledge, condom attitudes, self-efficacy, perceived risk, conflict tactics, anger management, and impulsivity. Behavioral skill in correct condom use also was evaluated at baseline and immediately following the interventions. Participants' sexual behavior, drug use, and recidivism in the youth correctional system was assessed at baseline and 6 months after release. Postintervention, ST participants evidenced significantly higher levels of AIDS knowledge and condom use self-efficacy, more positive attitudes about condoms, and significantly greater condom-use skill than AM participants. The violence prevention intervention produced no changes in attitudes or knowledge following the intervention. Significant decreases in sexual risk behaviors and drug use were present in both groups at the follow-up. Diffusion of the ST intervention through informal peer teaching is a possible explanation for the change that occurred in both groups.