This is a proposal for a Mentored Research Scientist Development Award. It is the investigator's long term career goal to become an independent scientist who designs and implements peer-based HIV-prevention interventions for multicultural adolescents at risk for HIV, especially homeless youth. HIV prevalence is alarmingly high among homeless youth in the United States, with levels as high as 10% in some urban settings. These youth, who in Los Angeles County and most other urban settings in the United States are disproportionately comprised of racial/ethnic minority youth, are at an alarmingly high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. The problems faced by these youth are varied and complex. Homeless youth require a variety of intervention approaches to meet their unique needs. The proposal focuses on developing a social network-based HIV prevention intervention for homeless youth. The project is divided into three sequential phases, where each training goal is matched with a phase of research where the investigator will have an opportunity to apply his new skills. The training goals are: 1. To gain expertise in adolescent developmental psychology, especially issues of peer influence. 2. To gain experience in qualitative methods, especially in-depth interviewing techniques. 3. To gain expertise in intervention design, particularly opinion leader/peer-based interventions. The goal of the research project is to learn how the social networks of homeless youth can positively shape sexual and substance use behaviors and to pilot an intervention to enhance those processes. The following specific aims guide the three phases of the research proposal: 1. To assess the prevalence, social status, and social roles of pro-social peers in the social networks of homeless youth (Phase 1: Ego-Centric Networks). 2. To model social network structures and the social influence process among homeless youth (Phase 2: In-Depth Interviews). 3. To develop an intervention manual and pilot test a peer-based HIV prevention intervention for homeless youth which mobilizes and augments the positive influence of pro-social peers (Phase 3: Manual Development and Pilot Testing).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
7K01MH080605-04
Application #
7814499
Study Section
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH)
Program Officer
Forsyth, Andrew D
Project Start
2007-03-16
Project End
2012-02-29
Budget Start
2009-07-01
Budget End
2010-02-28
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$124,333
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Type
Schools of Social Work
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Barman-Adhikari, Anamika; Rice, Eric (2014) Social networks as the context for understanding employment services utilization among homeless youth. Eval Program Plann 45:90-101
Rice, Eric; Barman-Adhikari, Anamika (2014) Internet and Social Media Use as a Resource Among Homeless Youth. J Comput Mediat Commun 19:232-247
Rice, Eric; Karnik, Niranjan S (2012) Network science and social media. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 51:563-5
Rice, Eric; Barman-Adhikari, Anamika; Milburn, Norweeta G et al. (2012) Position-specific HIV risk in a large network of homeless youths. Am J Public Health 102:141-7
Rice, Eric; Tulbert, Eve; Cederbaum, Julie et al. (2012) Mobilizing homeless youth for HIV prevention: a social network analysis of the acceptability of a face-to-face and online social networking intervention. Health Educ Res 27:226-36
Barman-Adhikari, Anamika; Rice, Eric (2011) Sexual Health Information Seeking Online Among Runaway and Homeless Youth. J Soc Social Work Res 2:88-103
Rice, Eric; Green, Sara; Santos, Katherine et al. (2010) A lifetime of low-risk behaviors among HIV-positive Latinas in Los Angeles. J Immigr Minor Health 12:875-81
Rice, Eric; Monro, William; Barman-Adhikari, Anamika et al. (2010) Internet use, social networking, and HIV/AIDS risk for homeless adolescents. J Adolesc Health 47:610-3
Rice, Eric (2010) The positive role of social networks and social networking technology in the condom-using behaviors of homeless young people. Public Health Rep 125:588-95
Sánchez, Mónica; Rice, Eric; Stein, Judith et al. (2010) Acculturation, coping styles, and health risk behaviors among HIV positive Latinas. AIDS Behav 14:401-9

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