Peer effects in sexual health literacy development: The role of gender

Last registered on December 21, 2023

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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title

Peer effects in sexual health literacy development: The role of gender

RCT ID

AEARCTR-0012724

Initial registration date

December 20, 2023

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published

December 21, 2023, 8:04 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name

Castiel Chen Zhuang

Affiliation

Peking University School of Economics

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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name

Xuezheng Qin

PI Affiliation

Peking University School of Economics

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PI Name

Jinxian Yao

PI Affiliation

Peking University School of Life Sciences

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PI Name

Fangwen Lu

PI Affiliation

Peking University School of Economics

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PI Name

Zhihan Cui

PI Affiliation

UCLA Anderson School of Management

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Additional Trial Information

Status

On going

Start date

2023-09-11

End date

2024-09-30

Keywords

Behavior, Education, Gender, Health, Labor

Additional Keywords

JEL code(s)

I21, I31, J16

Secondary IDs

Prior work

This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.

Abstract

In this trial, we study the impacts of study group gender composition on various outcomes of students in higher education. In particular, we study the role of gender in developing sexual health literacy, and how various aspects are affected by peers in the context of sex education. We choose a popular course in sexual health literacy in a Chinese university in which more than 640 students are registered at the beginning of the semester, and then randomly assign students into study groups that vary in gender composition: 1) fully male, 2) fully female, and 3) half male and half female. Students are surveyed both before the group assignment (at baseline) and at the end of the semester (at endline). We focus on students' learning outcomes by incorporating multiple-choice knowledge tests. In addition, we measure students' personality, health communications, marriage and fertility preferences, and several social opinions.

External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation

Cui, Zhihan et al. 2023. "Peer effects in sexual health literacy development: The role of gender." AEA RCT Registry. December 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.12724-1.0

Sponsors & Partners

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Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

We randomly assign students into study groups with varying gender composition: 1) fully male, 2) fully female, and 3) half male and half female.

Intervention Start Date

2023-09-25

Intervention End Date

2023-12-18

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)

Learning outcomes measured by performances in multiple-choice knowledge tests.

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

A total score of all the multiple-choice questions based on correctness will be calculated. Subtotals of scores for different course topics will also be calculated.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)

We are also interested in participants' personality, health communications, marriage and fertility preferences, and various social opinions.

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Personality index, marriage and fertility intention index, and social opinion index will be constructed.

Experimental Design

We randomize study group assignments within a popular course in sexual health literacy in the third week of the semester. Before randomization, we conduct baseline surveys. Study groups are required to sit together in person in some discussion sessions, and they should complete a midterm group project--producing a short video about sexual health. Through these group assignments and discussions, we promote within-study group communications and enforce peer effects. At the end of the semester, students are invited to participate in the endline survey. All registered students are also required to take a final exam that contains multiple-choice questions as knowledge tests.

Experimental Design Details

Not available

Randomization Method

Randomization done in office by a computer.

Randomization Unit

We ramdomize students in each level of each class into one of the three types of groups. There are two classes. In each class, there are four levels: 1) students who completed baseline survey in the first week of the semester (Sep 11-17, 2023); 2) students who completed baseline survey in the second week of the semester (Sep 18-24, 2023); 3) students who completed baseline survey later and/or complained about random group assignments; 4) students who did not participate in baseline survey or did not register in the course (e.g. those who were auditing). The majority of students are in levels 1 and 2 in each class. Our study sample includes levels 1-3. The randomization is done within each level of each class.

Was the treatment clustered?