Teens in the Twenty-First Century Still Prefer People Over Machines

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess and compare youth satisfaction with two delivery approaches to a HIV/STD risk reduction intervention targeting adolescents: an on-site, face-to-face (FTF) approach versus a long distance interactive televised (DIT) approach. Methods: A convenience sample of 571 rural adolescents ages 12–16 years who participated in an HIV/STD risk reduction program were assessed by an anonymous, written, process evaluation questionnaire. Factor analysis and reliability testing evaluated psychometric properties. Student's t tests evaluated differences between the two intervention approaches for individual items and the four factors. Results: Factor analysis identified four underlying factors: (1) Interventionist Leadership Characteristics, (2) Interventionist Warmth, (3) Connection, and (4) Programmatic Assessment/Clarity: Student's t tests demonstrated that all four factors consistently favored the FTF over the DIT approach (p < .05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that participants randomized to the FTF conditions were significantly more satisfied than the DIT-based group. These findings highlight the need for research regarding program implementation that may alter acceptability of the adolescent HIV risk reduction intervention approach.