A Digital Intervention for HIV Prevention in Black Adolescent Girls

A Digital Intervention for HIV Prevention in Black Adolescent Girls

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate an innovative behavioral HIV prevention videogame intervention to bolster motivation and provide skill-building opportunities to improve Black adolescent girls' ability to negotiate around risk including advocating for partner HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, increasing their knowledge and awareness of HIV/STIs, and for reducing sexual risk-taking behaviors.

This study will develop and evaluate a multiplayer videogame aimed at Black adolescent girls with the intent of teaching the ability to negotiate around risk including advocating for partner HIV/STI testing, increasing their knowledge and awareness of HIV/STIs, and for reducing sexual risk-taking behaviors.

The intervention will be developed and delivered as a social, multiplayer videogame, a compelling context for Black adolescent girls who constantly interact and seek counsel from their peers. To this end, the Specific Aims, focusing on Black adolescent girls aged 14-18 years, are to:

1. (Phase 1) Translate the culturally and socially-tailored card game One Night Stan to a multiplayer videogame called InvestiDate using game design and content experts and focus group input from 30 Black adolescent girls.

2. (Phase 2) Conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the multiplayer videogame InvestiDate (the new adaptation of the One Night Stan intervention) vs. an attention/control non-health-related multiplayer videogame with 80 participants collecting assessment data at baseline, one, and four months to:

   1. Determine the intervention's acceptability and feasibility by collecting quantitative and qualitative data on Black adolescent girls' satisfaction and gameplay experience of the intervention.
   2. Determine the preliminary impact of the intervention on knowledge (information), intentions/attitudes (motivation), social norms, and behavioral skills as related to: i) HIV/STI testing and partner testing and ii) condom use, and iii) sexual risk behavior reduction, such as alcohol and drug use.

Inclusion Criteria:

Both phases (includes focus groups- Phase 1)

• Black (race)
• Heterosexual
• Currently enrolled in high school

Pilot Test (Phase 2)

• Ability to participate in web-based videogame
• Willing to sit for at least 60 minutes (to play the game)
• No HIV testing in the last 12 months
• Ability to provide assent or parental/guardian consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Failure to meet inclusion criteria