Project RAP: Family-based HIV Prevention in the Juvenile Drug Court

Project RAP: Family-based HIV Prevention in the Juvenile Drug Court

The purpose of this project is to compare the effect of a family-based HIV prevention program to the effect of an adolescent-only health promotion program on adolescent HIV risk and marijuana use among adolescents enrolled in the Juvenile Drug Court (JDC) of the Rhode Island Family Court.

Adolescents and parents admitted to our study receive either an adolescent-only health education program that focuses on general health risk behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, smoking, diet and exercise or one that focuses on family-based HIV/AIDS education through safe decision-making and control of one's emotions as well as parent-child interactions that are associated with dysregulated affect, subsequent parenting deficits and adolescent HIV risk behaviors.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 13 to 18 years old;
• male and female;
• in Rhode Island Family Court - Intake and Juvenile Drug Court program;
• English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• HIV infection (by self-report);
• history of sex crimes,
• current pregnancy