PLANTS Pilot Trial

The intervention being studied, PLANTS, is an online-delivered training program, including asynchronous and synchronous activities targeting high school staff. This intervention is informed by the Information-Motivation-Behavior theory to target high school staffs' skills, self-efficacy, knowledge, and outcome expectations. Members of the study population as well as collaborators invested in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth (SGMY) well-being provided valuable feedback on PLANTS throughout its development. Comparison schools will receive the email-based control intervention, E-learning to Maximize Academic Inclusion of LGBTQ+ Students (EMAILS). Staff will receive periodic emails with publicly available resources on similar topics to those of PLANTS. Regarding the intervention's targeted behavioral outcomes, upon completion of the PLANTS program, high school staff will: provide interpersonal support and affirmation to SGMY; provide educational resources that are inclusive of SGMY; provide safe spaces for SGMY; promote acceptance of SGMY among cisgender heterosexual youth; prevent and reduce bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment of SGMY; evaluate and advocate for SGMY inclusivity and protections in school policies; and maintain the confidentiality of SGMY. By having high school staff achieve these behavioral outcomes, the investigators hypothesize that SGMY will experience less risk factors (e.g., bullying victimization) and more protective factors (e.g., school-based adult support), which will in turn reduce SGMY's substance use and mental health problems. The primary aim of this clinical trial is to rigorously test the acceptability, usability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the PLANTS intervention using a 2-armed cluster-randomized controlled trial. The investigators will also examine the efficacy of intervention in improving high school staff outcomes as well as implementation and safety outcomes related to the intervention and trial. Results from this pilot trial will provide necessary information to conduct a fully powered trial of the efficacy of PLANTS for reducing the ultimate health outcome of SGMY alcohol use.