An Evaluation of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for Adolescent Girls

NCT05738837 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1819-HQ-000057
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 343
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sexual violence (SV) perpetrated by dating partners and male acquaintances is common among adolescent girls in high school. Girls and young women who experience SV are likely to encounter negative mental and physical health consequences as well as lowered academic performance. While educational interventions to address the problem of SV are numerous, when evaluated, few show any capacity to reduce sexual violence victimization or perpetration. The Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act (EAAA) sexual assault resistance program for female university students (ages 17-24) is a rare exception; in a rigorous trial, EAAA reduced attempted and completed rape by 50% in the following year. The current randomized controlled trial (RCT) will test whether a version of EAAA that has been adapted for younger girls (age 14-18) who have not graduated high school (called the Adolescent Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act \[A-EAAA\]) will result in similar benefits within a 6-month follow-up. The current RCT will be conducted across three sites in Ontario, Canada.

Conditions

Sexual Assault

Keywords

intervention; adolescents; sexual assault; rape; dating violence; gender-based violence; girls' health; prevention

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Completed Rape

  The Sexual Experiences Survey Short Form Victimization (SES-SFV) will be used to measure the primary sexual assault outcomes. Completed rape will have occurred when a participant indicates she has had at least one experience of threatened, forced, or drugged completed (not attempted) sexual activity (oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse - answered 'once' or more to any of 9 questions (2c, 2d, 2e, 3c, 3d, 3e, 4c, 4d, or 4e) in the period between the baseline measurement and the 6-month survey measurement.

  Six months after randomization

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Attempted Rape

  Six months after randomization

Other Outcomes (8)

• Other Forms of Sexual Assault

  Six months after randomization

• Self-Defense Self-Efficacy

  1-week post-intervention, six months after randomization

• Perception of Personal Risk

  1-week post-intervention, six months after randomization

Study Arms (2)

A-EAAA (Adolescent Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act) immediately

EXPERIMENTAL

Adolescent adaptation of EAAA sexual assault resistance education (4, 3-hr sessions) begun immediately after baseline randomization

Behavioral: A-EAAA Sexual Assault Resistance Education Program immediately

Waitlist Control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Usual care 30-min session (brief presentation on consent/sexual assault; access to local resource pamphlets) immediately after baseline randomization; A-EAAA (4, 3-hr sessions) at 6-months post-randomization

Behavioral: Usual care + A-EAAA at 6 months

Interventions

Usual care + A-EAAA at 6 months BEHAVIORAL

Participants assigned to the waitlist control group will immediately receive a brief educational session on sexual assault that represents the current 'standard of care' at Canadian high schools (often presented by local Sexual Assault Centres or Public Health nurses). This 30-min session will involve a brief 15 - 20-minute presentation on sexual consent, respect in relationships, and sexual assault (e.g., definitions, prevalence statistics). This will be conducted by a well-trained and knowledgeable Research Assistant. Following the presentation, participants will be invited to take and read brochures provided on sexual assault, and to ask questions about the content of the presentation and brochures. At 6-months, participants will be scheduled to receive A-EAAA.

Waitlist Control

A-EAAA Sexual Assault Resistance Education Program immediately BEHAVIORAL

Adapted from the EAAA program created for university women, A-EAAA is designed for teen girls of all sexual identities and experience levels. It focuses on resisting sexual assault (SA) committed by male acquaintances with 4, 3-hour units: Unit 1(Assess) strengthens girls' ability to detect risk in contexts involving male acquaintances and helps develop strategies to reduce it. Unit 2(Acknowledge) helps girls explore ways to overcome their own emotional barriers preventing them from acknowledging risk and employing effective resistance strategies with males they know. Unit 3(Act) provides evidence on effectiveness of various resistance strategies and teaches verbal and physical self-defense focused on common acquaintance SA situations. Unit 4 (Relationships\&Sexuality) is an adaptation of Our Whole Lives curriculum and aims to increase girls' comfort talking about sex/sexuality and identify their sexual values/desires and explore possibilities for sexual practices beyond intercourse.

Also known as: Girls -- Flip the Script with EAAA

A-EAAA (Adolescent Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act) immediately

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 18 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: individuals must self-identify as girls/young women
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Self-identified girls aged 14 to 18 years;
• have not graduated high school;
• competence in spoken and written English;
• provide informed consent;
• able to attend one of the scheduled programs in the data collection period in which they are enrolled.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Windsor: lead
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Windsor

Windsor, Ontario, N9B3P4, Canada

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Senn CY, Eliasziw M, Barata PC, Thurston WE, Newby-Clark IR, Radtke HL, Hobden KL. Efficacy of a sexual assault resistance program for university women. N Engl J Med. 2015 Jun 11;372(24):2326-35. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa1411131.

  PMID: 26061837 BACKGROUND

• Senn CY, Eliasziw M, Hobden KL, Newby-Clark IR, Barata PC, Radtke HL, Thurston WE. Secondary and 2-Year Outcomes of a Sexual Assault Resistance Program for University Women. Psychol Women Q. 2017 Jun;41(2):147-162. doi: 10.1177/0361684317690119. Epub 2017 Mar 2.

  PMID: 29503496 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Charlene Y Senn, PhD

  University of Windsor

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Sara E Crann, PhD

  University of Windsor

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: All participants are blind to allocation at baseline assessment. Randomization occurs after in-person survey completion and is initially masked (using colour coded room assignments). Allocation is revealed to participants by intervention staff once they arrive at their assigned intervention room. All data analysis is done by a Co-I who has no contact with participants.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Distinguished University Professor

Model Details: Approximately 900 self-identified girls/young women age 14-18 (who have not already graduated high school) will be recruited from 3 communities in Ontario over two years. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive the A-EAAA program immediately (treatment group) or 6 months later (waitlist control group). Control group participants will attend a brief 'usual care' session providing them with basic information on SV and consent in parallel with the treatment group's first session. All participants will complete surveys at 4 timepoints: baseline, 1-week post-intervention (control group matched to treatment group timing), and 6 and 12 months after baseline. The control group will take the A-EAAA program following the 6-month post-survey and complete one additional survey, 1-week after their final program session.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 12, 2023
• First Posted: February 22, 2023
• Study Start: March 18, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 23, 2025
• Study Completion: February 3, 2026
• Last Updated: April 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: from first publication (estimated 2026) for 5 years.
• Access Criteria: Request submitted to one of the PIs from qualified university researcher.

Locations

CA (1)