HIV Prevention With Adolescents: Neurocognitive Deficits and Treatment Response (SHARP)

This research is examining how genetic and brain factors play a role in adolescents' health risk behavior as well as studying behaviors that young people engage in that may place them at risk for contracting a sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS, and what kind of educational program works best to reduce these risky behaviors.

A baseline assessment is conducted, including a computer questionnaire assessing personality characteristics, attitudes toward and experiences with sex, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes, among other things. The participant also meets with a therapist to conduct a brief motivational interview at this time. A "Time-Line Follow-Back" is conducted; this notes incidences of sexual intercourse, alcohol use, marijuana use, and cigarette use in a 30-day period. An fMRI is conducted, and a saliva sample is gathered. During the second session of the study, participants are randomly assigned to either a sex and alcohol risk reduction intervention, or a sex risk reduction intervention. After the intervention, participants are contacted at 3 month intervals (3 months later, 6 months later, 9 months later, and 12 months later) to meet. At these "follow-up" meetings, another Time-Line Follow-Back is conducted, along with another computer questionnaire (again assessing attitudes toward and experiences with sex, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes).