title: Estimates of Intraclass Correlation Coefficients From Longitudinal Group-Randomized Trials of Adolescent HIV/STI/Pregnancy Prevention Programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Group-randomized trials (GRTs) are one of the most rigorous methods for evaluating the effectiveness of group-based health risk prevention programs. Efficiently designing GRTs with a sample size that is sufficient for meeting the trial's power and precision goals while not wasting resources exceeding them requires estimates of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)-the degree to which outcomes of individuals clustered within groups (e.g., schools) are correlated. ICC estimates vary widely depending on outcome, population, and setting, and small changes in ICCs can have large effects on the sample size needed to estimate intervention effects. This study addresses a gap in the literature by providing estimates of ICCs for adolescent sexual risk-taking outcomes under a range of study conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multilevel regression analyses were applied to existing data from four federally funded GRTs of school-based HIV/STI/pregnancy prevention programs to obtain a variety of ICC estimates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ICCs ranged from 0 to 0.15, with adjustment for covariates and repeated measurements reducing the ICC in the majority of cases. Minimum detectable effect sizes with 80% power and 0.05 significance levels ranged from small to medium Cohen's d (0.13 to 0.53) assuming 20 schools of 100 students each.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides the first known set of ICC estimates for investigators to use when planning studies of school-based programs to prevent sexual risk behaviors in youth. The results provide further evidence of the importance of using the appropriate adjusted ICC estimate at the design stage to maximize resources in costly GRTs.
authors.affiliation: ETR Associates, Scotts Valley, CA, USA jillg@etr.org.
authors.forename: Jill R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Glassman
authors.affiliation: ETR Associates, Scotts Valley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Baumler
authors.affiliation: ETR Associates, Scotts Valley, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Karin K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Coyle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adolescent health; health behavior; research design; school health instruction; sex behavior