Title

Designing, implementing, and evaluating a music-based HIV prevention intervention for urban adolescents

Date of Completion

January 2003

Keywords

Music|Psychology, Social|Health Sciences, Public Health

Degree

Ph.D.

Abstract

This dissertation illustrates the process of conducting and evaluating a theoretically driven, music-based HIV prevention intervention among urban adolescents. This research is informed by the information, motivation, behavioral skills (IMB) model (Fisher & Fisher, 1992; 2000), and the natural opinion leader (NOL) model of health behavior change (Kelly et al., 1991). The hypothesis that musically talented opinion leaders from within a high school can effectively write, record, and distribute HIV prevention themed music to their peers to increase motivation to engage in HIV preventive behaviors, HIV prevention behavioral skills, HIV preventive behaviors, and HIV prevention information levels was examined. To measure the effects of the intervention, 306 students enrolled in health classes at each of three large multiracial urban high schools (1 treatment school; 2 control schools) completed measures of HIV prevention information, motivation, behavioral skills, and behaviors, both pre and post intervention. Results indicate that among participants who had never been sexually active at pre-test, perception of pro-abstinence social normative support and positive attitudes toward condom use were stronger among those in the treatment school. Increases in perceived vulnerability to HIV were also observed among these participants. Among participants who had ever been sexually active, increases in condom use were found. Treatment also led to increases in HIV prevention behavioral skills. This research demonstrates that the incorporation of music as a communicator of pro-prevention social norms and social influence into interventions that target adolescents has the potential to increase (or maintain existing) motivation to avoid HIV risk behavior and engage in HIV preventive behaviors.* ^ *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Windows MediaPlayer or RealPlayer.^

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