Zithandani Stepping Stones and Creating Futures - Phase 2 Pilot

Summary

The goal of this uncontrolled intervention study is to assess whether Zithandani Stepping Stones and Creating Futures is feasible to deliver, acceptable for participants, safe for participants and to estimate effect sizes, in young (ages 18-40 years) heterosexual couples, living in urban informal settlements in eThekwini Municipality, South Africa. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Is Zithandani SSCF feasible to deliver to young couples, and what are the barriers and opportunities in intervention delivery?
2. Is Zithandani SSCF acceptable to participants? What do they like and what do they not like about the intervention?
3. Is Zithandani SSCF safe for female participants and do they engage adequately?
4. Does Zithandani SSCF show indication of positive change on key indicators and what are the effect sizes?

Participants will be recruited as heterosexual couples and participate in 14 sessions, each approximately 3 hours long, with between 4 and 6 other couples, focused on gender norms, livelihoods and communication.

Conditions

• Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
• Earning Outcomes
• Mental Health
• Couple Communication
• Couple Conflict
• Couples
• Livelihoods

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Zithandani Stepping Stones and Creating Futures

Delivered to heterosexual couples. 14 group based sessions, with each session lasting approximately 3 hours. Sessions are delivered by two trained facilitators. Intervention focused on transforming gender norms, strengthening communication, reducing symptoms of poor mental health and improving relationship dynamics. Mixture of couples focused, same-gender discussions, and whole group discussions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical Research Council, South Africa

  collaborator OTHER

• University College, London

  collaborator OTHER

• Project Empower

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Exeter

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-06-30

Primary Completion

2025-12-31

Completion

2025-12-31

Countries

• South Africa

Study Locations