Safer sex skills building: A manual for HIV/STD safer sex skills groups for women in outpatient substance abuse treatment.

This manual was developed by the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network study development team for protocol CTN-0019, “Reducing HIV/STD Risk Behaviors : A Research Study for Women in Drug Abuse Treatment.” The manual was used by female counselors delivering the group intervention, “Safer Sex Skills Building (SSB)” to substance abuse treatment clients enrolled in CTN-0019. The original version of the intervention, called Project WORTH, was updated to place more emphasis on women’s negotiation skills around safer sex and safeguards against the risk of partner abuse as the potential result of assertiveness around safer sex.

The goal of this intervention is to help women change behaviors that put them at risk of becoming infected with HIV and to help them live healthy lifestyles. The intervention focuses on the importance of changing high-risk behaviors, and teaches the participants social and technical skills necessary to keep them from engaging in these high-risk behaviors. The development of interpersonal, social coping skills is a constant theme in the intervention. Skills include analyzing a risk situation; technical skills such as putting on a condom and seeking information, and social skills such as being able to refuse a request for unsafe sex and asking for help. In the five sessions, the following intervention modalities are used: information, instruction, discussion, modeling, role-playing, rehearsal and coaching, goal setting, and real-world assignments.

The download package includes a PDF version of the manual itself, a PDF version of the Participant Workbook, plus a set of PowerPoint slides for the manual’s flip charts.

Related protocols: CTN-0019