An Internet-Delivered Sexual Assault Resistance Intervention for Undergraduate Women (The IDEA3 Trial): Protocol for a Multisite Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial.

Abstract

Background: Sexual assault (SA) is a serious problem at universities. It is estimated that 1 in 5 women students will experience SA before they graduate.

Objective: The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to test whether a synchronous web-based facilitated adaptation of an efficacious intervention (the Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act [EAAA] program) can reduce the 1-year incidence of rape among first- and second-year undergraduate women. Secondary aims will assess the impact of the Internet-Delivered EAAA (IDEA³) on other forms of SA (attempted rape, attempted and completed coercion, and nonconsensual sexual contact). Tertiary aims will evaluate effects of the program on (1) survivor self-blame in the event of an assault, (2) 6 known mediators of the intervention effect to guide revision of IDEA³ if necessary, and (3) 2 exploratory outcomes measuring acceptance of sexualized aggression and sexual empowerment.

Methods: In this multisite open-label randomized controlled trial, 1920 diverse women students at 2 Canadian and 4 US universities will be randomly assigned to receive either the 12-hour IDEA³ (intervention arm) or standard of care (control arm: 60-minute, web-based, live-facilitated consent workshop). Outcomes are measured at baseline, 1 week, 6 months, and 12 months post intervention. SA will be assessed using the Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Version. Survivor self-blame and outcomes known to be mediators of EAAA's reductions in SA will also be measured.

Results: Funding was received in October 2022. Recruitment began on October 2, 2023, and the first participant was randomized on October 23, 2023. As of August 2025, a total of 683 participants have been enrolled and randomized. Data collection will end in May 2027.

Conclusions: If efficacious, IDEA³ will be made available to universities in Canada and the United States. To date, 6 provinces in Canada and the Campus SaVE Act in the United States require institutions to provide SA prevention programming. An evidence-based, cost-effective option that can be delivered remotely via the internet has the potential to become the gold standard. The research, therefore, has the potential to impact women's health and safety internationally.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06058455, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06058455.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/72087.