Secondary Outcomes of a Brief Group Alcohol and Risky Sex Intervention for Emerging Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

AWARE is a four-session group-based motivational enhancement intervention designed to reduce substance use and sexual risk behavior among emerging adults experiencing homelessness. Expanding on promising intervention effects on substance use and risky sex outcomes, this study explored intervention effects on changes in secondary outcomes from baseline to 12 month post-intervention: depression, physical health (general health ratings, physical symptoms), social functioning (satisfaction, quality of friendships), and housing stability. Among the 240 participants with baseline and 12 month follow-up data, we found small effect sizes generally favoring the intervention over usual care for all outcomes. Findings show promise that addressing substance use and risky sexual behavior through interventions in drop-in centers could benefit emerging adults experiencing homelessness in additional areas of their lives. More work is needed to understand how interventions could be tailored to more directly address these outcomes and sustain changes in the long-term.