RealTeen

About the program

RealTeen is comprised of two components: the homepage and 12 intervention sessions.

Features on the homepage include: news feeds, horoscopes, beauty tips, quotes of the day, fortunes, and access to their blog, pen pal, and the chat forum girls used optionally as a response to intervention session questions.

The sessions incorporated not only general personal and social skills (self-efficacy, communication, asserting one’s self), but also skills specific to dealing with drug use opportunities.

Who does it work for?

RealTeen is designed for teenage girls aged 13-17 years old. RealTeen has only been evaluated in the USA. Two randomised control trials were conducted in different states in the USA and Canada. The RCT by Schwinn & Schinke & Di Noia (2010) had 236 participants (118 in both intervention and control groups). The RCT by Schwinn et al. (2019) had 788 participants (396 in the intervention group and 392 in the control group).

In the Schwinn & Schinke & Di Noia (2010) study, participants identified as White (58%), Black (18%), Latina (9%), and Asian (7%). All participants were non-Indigenous females and were aged 14 on average.

In the Schwinn et al (2019) study, participants identified as White (64%), Black (24%) and Hispanic (15%) and were aged 13 on average.

RealTeen has not been evaluated in Australia or with Aboriginal Australians.

What outcomes does it contribute to?

Positive:

• Coping: RealTeen participants were more likely to report skills in coping at 2-year follow up
• Self-efficacy: RealTeen participants were more likely to report skills in self-efficacy at 2- and 3-year follow up
• Self-esteem: RealTeen participants were more likely to report higher self-esteem at 2- and 3-year follow up
• Drug refusal: RealTeen participants were more likely to report skills in drug refusal at 2- and 3-year follow up
• Body image: RealTeen participants were more likely to report higher scores on body image at 3 year follow up

No effect:

• Normative beliefs (about perceptions of drug use among peers): RealTeen did not demonstrate impact on normative beliefs after intervention
• Goal setting: RealTeen did not demonstrate impact on goal setting after intervention
• Stress: RealTeen did not demonstrate impact on reduction in stress after intervention

How effective is it?

Overall, RealTeen had mixed effects on client outcomes.

How strong is the evidence?

Mixed research evidence (with no adverse effects):

• At least one high-quality randomised controlled trial (RCT)/quasi-experimental design (QED) study reports statistically significant positive effects for at least one outcome, AND
• An equal number or more RCT/QED studies of similar size and quality show no observed effects than show statistically significant positive effects, AND
• No RCT/QED studies show statistically significant adverse effects.

How is it implemented?

Both studies implemented RealTeen slightly differently.

In the Schwinn & Schinke & Di Noia (2010) study, RealTeen was delivered to 236 teenage girls who completed the intervention in their own time using a private computer. The intervention contained 12 sessions which were recommended to be completed within 6 weeks. Participants were recommended to complete two 25-minute sessions each week in to complete the program in the 6-week timeframe. The extra three sessions (compared to the 9-session schedule in the 2019 study) included one introductory, and two review sessions delivered at the beginning and end of the program.

In the Schwinn et al., (2019) RCT, RealTeen was delivered to 727 teenage girls who completed the intervention in their own time using a private computer. The intervention contained 9 sessions recommended to be completed within 4 weeks. Participants were recommended to complete two-to-three 20-minute sessions each week to complete the program within the 4-week timeframe.

Across both studies, the 9 theory-based content components was the same and included:

1. Goal setting
2. Decision making
3. Puberty
4. Body image
5. Coping
6. Drug knowledge
7. Communication
8. Assertiveness
9. Media Influences

How much does it cost?

The costs for RealTeen were not reported in either study.

What else should I consider?

Participants need access to their own private computer in order to complete the intervention.

Where does the evidence come from?

2 RCTs conducted in different states in the USA and Canada. The RCT by Schwinn & Schinke & Di Noia (2010) had 236 participants, and the RCT by Schwinn et al., (2019) had 788 participants.

Further resources

Schwinn, TM, Schinke, SP, & Di Noia, J 2010, ‘Preventing drug abuse among adolescent girls: outcome data from an internet-based intervention’, Prevention Science, vol. 11, pp. 24-32, DOI 10.1007/s11121-009-0146-9.

Schwinn, TM, Schinke, SP, Keller, B, & Hopkins, J 2019, ‘Two-and three-year follow-up from a gender-specific, web-based drug abuse prevention program for adolescent girls’, Addictive Behaviors, vol. 93, pp. 86-92, DOI 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.01.010.