Description

The objective of the proposed study is to adapt an innovative, peer-based motivational interview (PMI) that encourages and prepares peers to reduce sexual violence (SV) risk. Delivered to pairs of peers (dyads), the PMI will be designed to foster collaborative efforts to increase readiness for, and decrease barriers to helping behavior, and to teach and plan together for assault prevention skills. As the role of alcohol has been under-addressed in SV prevention efforts, the PMI also will explicitly attend to how intoxication may serve as a barrier to peer intervention, and strategies for overcoming this barrier. The completion of this project's aims will yield a novel intervention that capitalizes on the natural resource of military responsibility to decrease risk for sexual violence - a pervasive problem affecting a substantial portion of military service members in the U.S.

Twelve peer dyads will participate in the peer-based motivational interview (PMI). The study will compare the participants at baseline to themselves at a 1 month follow up on outcomes. The study will focus on whether effects are in the expected direction and whether the strength of effect sizes are of practical magnitude. It is expected that participants will demonstrate significant increases in readiness, and engagement in peer assault prevention behavioral skills (PAPBs), and demonstrate decreases in perceived barriers. Follow-up data will be utilized to provide a rich description of the role of alcohol in implementing PAPBs, and whether the PMI reduces the impact of alcohol use. In exploratory analyses, it will be examined whether the intervention may be associated with decreased assault risk, as well as decreased drinking.