AMP!: A Cross-Site Analysis of the Effects of a Theater-based Intervention on Adolescent Awareness, Attitudes, and Knowledge about HIV

AMP! (Arts-based, Multiple component, Peer-education) is an HIV intervention developed for high school adolescents. AMP! uses interactive theater-based scenarios developed by trained college undergraduates to deliver messages addressing HIV/STI prevention strategies, healthy relationships, and stigma reduction towards people living with HIV/AIDS. 

We used a pre-test/post-test, control group study design to simultaneously assess intervention effect on ninth grade students in an urban county in California (N = 159) and a suburban county in North Carolina (N = 317). In each location, the control group received standard health education curricula delivered by teachers; the intervention group received AMP! in addition to standard health education curricula. Structural equation modeling was used to determine intervention effects. The post-test sample was 46 % male, 90 % self-identified as heterosexual, 32 % reported receiving free or reduced lunch, and 49 % White. 

Structural models indicated that participation in AMP! predicted higher scores on HIV knowledge (p = 0.05), HIV awareness (p = 0.01), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.05) at the post-test. Latent means comparison analyses revealed post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores on HIV knowledge (p = 0.001), HIV awareness (p = 0.001), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.001). 

Further analyses indicated that scores rose for both groups, but the post-test scores of intervention participants were significantly higher than controls (HIV knowledge (p = 0.01), HIV awareness (p = 0.01), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.05)). 

Thus, AMP!'s theater-based approach shows promise for addressing multiple adolescent risk factors and attitudes concerning HIV in school settings.

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By:  Taggart T1, Taboada A2, Stein JA2, Milburn NG3, Gere D2, Lightfoot AF4,5.

• 1Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), 302 Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7440, USA. ttaggart@email.unc.edu.
• 2Art & Global Health Center, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• 3Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• 4Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), 302 Rosenau Hall, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7440, USA.
• 5Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), Chapel Hill, NC, USA. 
• Prev Sci. 2016 Apr 8.

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