Preparing facilitators from community-based organizations for evidence-based intervention training in Second Life

Area of Science:

• Virtual environments in public health training
• Digital health interventions
• Capacity building for evidence-based practices

Background:

• Training challenges hinder evidence-based intervention scale-up.
• Second Life (SL), a virtual environment, offers a cost-effective alternative for facilitator training.
• SL facilitates interactive, multi-user training experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using Second Life (SL) for training facilitators.
• To train community-based organization staff in the ¡Cuídate! intervention.
• To reduce sexual risk behaviors among Latino youth.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 35 participants from US community-based organizations.
• Implemented a four-phase preparation process for SL training.
• Recorded technical difficulties and participant self-efficacy evaluations.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high self-efficacy for SL skills (e.g., downloading software, interacting in SL).
• Self-efficacy for downloading/accessing SL was rated highest (mean 8.29).
• Technical issues primarily stemmed from internet connectivity and computer malfunctions.

Conclusions:

• Second Life (SL) is a feasible platform for the ¡Cuídate! facilitator training.
• The preparation process can guide other SL-based intervention training.
• SL offers a cost-effective and accessible training solution for evidence-based interventions.