AIDS education: the Rhode Island experience.

AIDS prevention, by public school education, is designed to change knowledge, attitudes, and future behavior. This study evaluated the impact of a state-mandated educational program on a sample of 2709 adolescents. Changes from pre to posttest were evaluated using standardized change scores and comparisons between the experimental and a delayed education control group were made. The experimental group, but not the control group, changed to a statistically significant degree (p less than .001). They became more knowledgeable, endorsed slightly more tolerant attitudes, and reported an increased intention to avoid intercourse as a means of AIDS prevention. The extent of change was substantially greater for knowledge than for attitudes. Age, gender, and AIDS-related anxiety were found to be significant variables in the AIDS education process. The modest changes observed emphasize that the dissemination of AIDS information by public schools is only the first step in changing adolescent behavior as a means to AIDS prevention and that other, additional approaches are needed.