Juvenile probation officers delivering an intervention for substance use significantly reduces adolescents' risky sexual behaviours.

BACKGROUND: Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) is a serious public health problem for adolescents. We examined whether a contingency management intervention implemented by juvenile probation officers (JPOs) targeting substance use also impacted RSB.

METHODS: A total of 218 adolescents on probation were randomly assigned to contingency management or to probation as usual.

RESULTS: The substance use intervention delivered by JPOs reduced rates of RSB over time (β=-0.32, P=0.041 at 6months; β=-0.32, P=0.036 at 9months).

CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents receiving a substance use intervention from JPOs demonstrated reduced/prevented RSB. Interventions targeting single risk behaviours in juvenile probation populations should measure changes in other risk behaviours. Under-resourced communities lacking clinicians might consider JPOs delivering interventions.