Trial Outcomes & Findings for Stepping Stones and Creating Futures Plus Pilot (NCT NCT05783336)

Recruitment 24 May - 15 June 2023. Community recruitment, using 'chain-link' approach, focused on friendship networks. Eligible participant identified in community, asked to recruit friends who are similar and match eligibility criteria (from 3-10). Once assessed for eligibility and provided informed consent, a friendship group becomes a 'cluster' for the intervention and the focus for randomisation and intervention delivery.

Unit of analysis: Friendship groups (clusters)

Race and Ethnicity were not collected from any participant.

Past 6 month experience (women) and perpetration (men) of physical IPV as assessed using WHO measure of IPV. This consists of 5 items of behaviourally specific experiences (e.g. slapped, hit) that occurred in the past 6-months. Response options are 'never', 'once', 'a few times' or 'many times'. Recoded as a binary based on the 5-items, with any 'positive' response classified as 'yes'.

Past 6 month experience (women) and perpetration (men) of sexual IPV as assessed using WHO measure of IPV. This uses 3-items which are behaviourally specific (e.g. forced to have sex when did not want) that occurred in the past 6-months. Response options are 'never', 'once', 'a few times' or 'many times'. Recoded as a binary based on the 3-items, with any 'positive' response classified as 'yes'.

Past 6 month experience (women) and perpetration (men) of severe IPV as assessed using WHO IPV physical and sexual IPV scales. Comprising of behaviourally specific acts, specifically 5 physical and 3 sexual, that occurred in the past 6-months. Response options are 'never', 'once', 'a few times' or 'many times'. Recoded as a binary based on the 8-items, with any two 'positive' response classified as 'yes'.

Mean score of depressive symptoms as assessed by the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale (CESD) comprising 20 items, which are summed to create a score. Possible range 0-40 with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms (bad).

Post traumatic stress symptoms experienced in past week as assessed through the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (16 items). Items are summed and potential range is 0-48 and higher scores indicate more symptoms.

Assessed via the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale (DERS) short form, with 16 items, summed. Potential range is 16-80 and higher scores indicate greater difficulties in positively regulating emotions.

Self-reported past month earnings (South African Rand)

Self-report past month savings (South African Rand)

Past month food insecurity assessed through the 3 items of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Items are summed with potential range from 3-12, with higher scores indicating more food insecurity/hunger.

Frequency of livelihood strengthening activities in the past 3 months, assessed through seven items, drawn from the UN Multi-country Study of Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. The items were summed with potential range 0-28, with higher scores indicating a greater frequency of livelihood activities.

Experience of stress because of lack of work and money assessed through 4 items, drawn from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES). Items are summed with a potential range 4-16, with higher scores indicative of more stress.

Experience of shame because of lack of work and money assessed through 4 items, drawn from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES). Items are summed with a potential range 4-16, with higher scores indicative of more shame about lack of work.

Experience of capabilities assessed through 5 items of a modified ICECAP-A (ICEpop CAPability measure for Adults) scale. Items are summed with potential range from 0-20, higher scores are bad, as indicate reduced capabilities.