Presentation Information
[O-8-02]Towards ending gender-based violence and HIV crisis in sub-Saharan Africa: Pilot cluster randomized controlled trial of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus to reduce emotional dysregulation among young men in South Africa
*Andrew Tomita1, Princess Nyoni1, Smanga Mkhwanazi2, Andrew Gibbs1 (1.University of KwaZulu-Natal(South Africa), 2.South African Medical Research Council(South Africa))
Keywords:
South Africa,HIV,Emotional dysregulation,Intimate partner violence,Gender-based violence
Background: Gender inequality is a root cause of both HIV and GBV epidemic perpetuation in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) setting. Emotional dysregulation (ED), which refers to the difficulty in controlling emotional responses to stressful events, is an important (but challenging to address) risk factor associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among young men in HIV-endemic SSA.
Objective: This two-armed pilot cluster randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus (SSCF+), a participatory, gender-transformative, and livelihood-strengthening intervention, on ED outcomes among young men in South Africa (SA).
Methods: A total of 163 young men, aged 18-30 years, were recruited from 30 clusters (friendship groups) in urban informal settlements and rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, SA. The clusters were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the experimental SSCF+ group or a control group. Participants were followed up at 5 months, and an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) was conducted to assess the impact of SSCF+ on the men’s ED outcomes (measured using the 16-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale).
Results: At the 5-month follow-up, SSCF+ did not significantly reduce ED in the overall sample. However, it did have a significant positive effect on ED among men who were at risk of depression at baseline (adjusted odds ratio: 0.12, 95% CI [.03-.46], p=0.002).
Discussion/Conclusion: The SSCF+ intervention, which is designed to address poverty and other socio-economic challenges through gender transformation and livelihood strengthening, effectively reduced ED among young men facing depression in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
Objective: This two-armed pilot cluster randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus (SSCF+), a participatory, gender-transformative, and livelihood-strengthening intervention, on ED outcomes among young men in South Africa (SA).
Methods: A total of 163 young men, aged 18-30 years, were recruited from 30 clusters (friendship groups) in urban informal settlements and rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, SA. The clusters were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the experimental SSCF+ group or a control group. Participants were followed up at 5 months, and an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) was conducted to assess the impact of SSCF+ on the men’s ED outcomes (measured using the 16-item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale).
Results: At the 5-month follow-up, SSCF+ did not significantly reduce ED in the overall sample. However, it did have a significant positive effect on ED among men who were at risk of depression at baseline (adjusted odds ratio: 0.12, 95% CI [.03-.46], p=0.002).
Discussion/Conclusion: The SSCF+ intervention, which is designed to address poverty and other socio-economic challenges through gender transformation and livelihood strengthening, effectively reduced ED among young men facing depression in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.