Impact of a Theory-Based, School HIV/STD Curriculum on Eighth Graders' Attitudes and Knowledge

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of a government sponsored, theory-based school curriculum, STDs and HIV: A Guide for Today's Young Adults (Yarber, 1993), on the HIV/STD-related attitudes and knowledge of eighth grade students. Subjects were enrolled in health science classes of a public, suburban middle school in a large midwest city. A quasiexperimental design involving an intervention group (nine intact classes, 185 students) and control group (six intact classes, 120 students) and a pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest (one month after intervention) was used. Intervention subjects received five class sessions of instruction (about 210 minutes) emphasizing the enhancement of HTV/STD prevention knowledge, attitudes, and skills. HTV/STD attitudes were measured by a 31-item scale that assessed belief, feeling, and intention to act, and knowledge was determined by a 15-item test. Study results indicated that the curriculum was effective in improving HIV/STD-related attitudes (composite attitude and each attitude component) toward being more health conducive. The four attitude mean scores decayed some at the delayed posttest, but the losses were not significant. The curriculum had minimal impact of HIV/STD-related knowledge. The study provides support for educational intervention targeted toward young adolescents. The tested curriculum can assist early adolescents in adopting more positive health attitudes and behaviors before negative patterns are established, thus contributing to the reduction of HIV/STD incidence in adolescents.