NCT02293057

Gender-Responsive Drug Use Treatment for Juvenile Justice Girls

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 132 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 12 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Girls in the juvenile justice system have unique developmental pathways to drug use and co-occurring risk (e.g., HIV/STI) behaviors that have typically not been considered or tested in order to identify evidence-based gender-specific substance use treatment approaches for this population. This study will advance scientific knowledge and clinical practice in the drug treatment and public health fields by testing the efficacy of a pre-existing, widely disseminated gender-responsive substance use treatment (VOICES) on drug use and HIV/STI risk behavior outcomes for a broad range of substance using girls and young women (ages 12-24) who are at-risk for or already involved with the justice system.

Detailed description

Compared to both non-offending females and male offending counterparts, offending girls are at significantly greater risk for the development of substance use disorders, psychiatric symptoms and negative health outcomes, such as HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Research suggests that girls may have different developmental pathways to drug use, initial legal involvement and co-occurring negative health outcomes that support the importance of testing gender-specific treatments for juvenile justice girls. Although there is recent increased emphasis on gender-specific programming in juvenile justice, empirically supported gender specific interventions to improve health, mental health and/or legal outcomes among juvenile justice girls are lacking. The objective of this Stage II treatment trial is therefore to test the efficacy of a pre-existing, widely disseminated gender-responsive drug use treatment (VOICES) among 130 girls who are at-risk for or already involved with the justice system. We seek to test the effect of VOICES on girls' drug and alcohol use, HIV/STI risk, psychiatric symptoms and recidivism as well as explore moderators and mediators of outcomes. Girls and young women, ages 12-24 (N= 6 juveniles for Phase I Intervention Run-Through; N=130 for Phase II RCT study) will be recruited from justice partners (probation, diversion programs) and school partners (high schools/middle schools). Participants will be randomized to either the VOICES (active) intervention (n=65) or a Girl Health (attention control) condition (n=65). In Phase I (first six months of Year 1), 6 juveniles will be recruited to complete the Intervention Run-Through and research assessment once to allow testing of RCT intervention and assessment procedures prior to the RCT phase. In Phase II (last half of Year 1 through Year 4), 130 girls will be recruited and randomized at baseline and then re-assessed at mid-treatment, end of treatment, 3 months and 6 months post-intervention. Biological specimens for juvenile drug use will also be collected at each 3-month assessment. Efficacy trial results can be used to make immediate changes to current widespread program delivery resulting in direct impact on the field of evidence-based gender-responsive substance use interventions for juvenile justice girls and young women.

Conditions

• Drug Use

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	VOICES Group	VOICES: A program of self-discovery and empowerment includes four modules: Self (A), Connecting with others (B), Healthy living (C), and the Journey Ahead (D). All sessions are 60 minutes long and include required and optional activities.
BEHAVIORAL	Girl Health Group	The Girl Health group comparison condition includes adolescent groups matched for time and attention to VOICES groups. Intervention take a psychoeducational/didactic approach and content focuses on a range of health behaviors, including substance use, exercise, nutrition and sleep.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-09-01
• Primary completion: 2020-09-01
• Completion: 2020-09-01
• First posted: 2014-11-18
• Last updated: 2020-12-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States