Intimacy and Sexual Health Intervention Pilot for University Students (I SHIP US)

Situation or Background
College students often encounter challenges in navigating consensual sexual interactions, including difficulties in negotiating boundaries, expressing desires, and understanding non-verbal cues. These factors highlight the need for innovative approaches to improve sexual communication skills and promote consensual behavior among college students.

Our Goal or What We’re Doing
This study aims to pilot test and evaluate the effectiveness of an app-based intervention aimed at improving self-efficacy for consensual sexual communication with intimate partners among university students. The proposed study will utilize the existing mobile application, Coral, an innovative mobile application developed by sexual health experts that offers adults a safe space to learn, explore, and practice intimacy and connection to achieve healthier relationships.

Approach or Methodology
We incorporated elements of a randomized control trial (RCT) for assessing effectiveness and implementation research to examine the implementation of the intervention within university campus settings. The intervention group will have access to the Coral app. Participants will complete a pre-intervention survey, a post-intervention survey three days after the end of the intervention, and a 3-month follow-up survey to measure the outcomes of interest.

Impact and What We’re Learning
Participants/students who were in the LGBTQ+ community had lower self-compassion than straight students. Students in the intervention group engaged most with material about self-compassion, knowing one’s self, and self-confidence. We believe universities should look into education/resources for students in these areas and further research on the connection between self-compassion and sexual health is of interest.