NCT06875284

Evaluating Cross-Cutting Prevention at the U.S. Air Force Academy

Evaluating Cross-Cutting Sexual Assault and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Programming at the U.S. Air Force Academy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 2,041 (actual)
• Sponsor: RTI International · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 17 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Sexual assault and alcohol misuse are interrelated, persist at high rates in military populations, and carry negative consequences for military units and personnel. Combining tailored efforts to prevent sexual assault and alcohol misuse is critical for developing a more effective Force. This study will test the cross-cutting immediate and long-term outcomes of two programs, the Sexual Communication and Consent (SCC) sexual assault prevention program and the eCHECKUP TO GO alcohol misuse prevention program, delivered separately and in combination, with Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy. Anonymous Cadet self-report data will be collected before training (pre-test), immediately after training (post-test), 3 months after training (Fall semester follow-up), and 9 months after training (Spring semester follow-up).

Detailed description

Sexual assault and alcohol misuse both persist at high rates among military populations. These behaviors interfere with readiness, unit cohesion, mission objectives, and personnel performance and retention. There are demonstrated associations between sexual assault and alcohol misuse for both perpetrators and victims of sexual assault. Therefore, combining efforts to prevent sexual assault and alcohol misuse is critical for more effective and efficient programming. Moreover, tailored prevention programming that addresses individual risks and experiences related to sexual assault and alcohol misuse is likely to be the most effective programming. Unfortunately, to date, no evidence-based cross-cutting interventions have been developed and evaluated for impacts on both sexual assault and alcohol misuse among military populations. Several challenges impede this effort. Sexual assault prevention and alcohol misuse prevention are typically managed in different organizations within military settings, including within Military Service Academies. Training settings face many competing demands for trainees' time and instructor capacity, and instructors' ability to provide both sexual assault-related and alcohol-related training varies widely. Despite the promise of tailored training, individualized programming also presents feasibility challenges in group education settings common to military training. In alignment with the Fiscal Years 2021-2025 Department of Defense (DoD) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Research Agenda and DoD's desire to have cross-cutting prevention programs that reduce risk for multiple harmful behaviors, the long-term goal of the proposed work is to address these challenges and provide the military with flexible, engaging, tailored prevention programming that reduces sexual assault and alcohol misuse while minimizing burden on Service members and training settings. To that end, the basic objective of this study is to test the cross-cutting immediate and long-term outcomes of two programs, the Sexual Communication and Consent (SCC) sexual assault prevention program and the eCHECKUP TO GO alcohol misuse prevention program, delivered separately and in combination, with Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy. Anonymous Cadet self-report data will be collected before training (pre-test), immediately after training (post-test), 3 months after training (Fall semester follow-up), and 9 months after training (Spring semester follow-up).

Conditions

• Sexual Assault
• Alcohol Misuse

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Sexual Communication and Consent (SCC)	SCC combines universal classroom instruction with tailored web-based content. Based on sociodemographic characteristics and prior sexual assault experiences, Cadets receive tailored content that addresses either primary victimization prevention, revictimization prevention, or healthy relationships and bystander intervention promotion.
BEHAVIORAL	Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO (eCHECKUP TO GO)	eCHECKUP TO GO is a personalized, online intervention designed to reduce cognitive risk factors for alcohol misuse. eCHECKUP TO GO is brief, self-guided, and provides individualized feedback based on a user's self-reported alcohol use patterns and consequences.
BEHAVIORAL	Training as usual (TAU)	TAU involves universal classroom instruction focused on developing knowledge, attitudes, and skills to promote personal resilience, increase potential for success, and develop healthy and rewarding personal relationships.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-06-27
• Primary completion: 2024-05-01
• Completion: 2024-05-01
• First posted: 2025-03-13
• Last updated: 2025-11-25
• Results posted: 2025-11-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States