# Help Wanted: Evaluating a Prevention Intervention for People with Sexual Interest in Children

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $385,637

## Abstract

Project Summary
In response to RFA-CE-20-005 Research Priority 1, the proposed study seeks to evaluate the Help Wanted
Prevention Intervention, a theoretically and empirically informed prevention intervention targeting adult men
with sexual interest in children. The intervention includes an introductory welcome place, five training sessions
that deliver core intervention content, and a resources page that provides links to external sources of support.
The two primary goals of the Help Wanted Prevention Intervention are to prevent child sexual abuse and
provide help-seekers tools to better support their well-being. The goal of the proposed study is to advance the
evidence base on primary prevention of child sexual abuse perpetration. To that end, we propose: a) to
evaluate the effects of Help Wanted on child sexual abuse offense behaviors, grooming behaviors, and
proclivity to offend, as well as the impact on targeted psychosocial stressors (e.g., cognitions and attitudes,
coping skills, self-image) that are associated with child sexual abuse perpetration; b) examine these
psychosocial stressors as potential mediators and moderators; and c) revise the intervention accordingly to
improve help-seeker engagement and targeted outcomes. The proposed study proceeds in three phases. In
Phase 1, we will conduct beta-testing of all study procedures with a sample of 10 adult men. The results from
this phase will join findings from another study to inform a revision of the Help Wanted intervention. In Phase 2,
we will evaluate the revised intervention by conducting a randomized controlled trial utilizing a waitlist design.
Participants in the treatment group will be given access to Help Wanted and will complete assessments at
recruitment (baseline), 1 month (post-treatment), and 3 months (follow-up). Participants in the waitlist control
group will be given access to Help Wanted after a 1-month wait, during which time they will be given a time-
and-attention control intervention. After the 1-month waiting period, participants in the waitlist control group will
be given to access to Help Wanted. Assessments for the waitlist control group occur at recruitment (baseline),
1 month (2nd baseline), 1 month later (post-treatment) and at 3 months post-treatment (follow-up). In Phase 3,
we draw upon the RCT outcome results and help-seeker ratings of session satisfaction to conduct a second
revision of the Help Wanted intervention and will recruit a sample of 10 adults to review the revised
intervention. Upon completion, this proposed project would be the first to rigorously evaluate an online,
prevention intervention tailored specifically for adults with sexual interest in children.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10175117
- **Project number:** 1U01CE003310-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth J Letourneau
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $385,637
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10175117

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10175117, Help Wanted: Evaluating a Prevention Intervention for People with Sexual Interest in Children (1U01CE003310-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10175117. Licensed CC0.

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