Jewkes 2008.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: cluster‐RCT Duration of study: the study was conducted from 2003 to 2006. Country: South Africa Income classification: upper‐middle‐income country from 2003 to 2006 Geographical scope: rural areas (70 villages) in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa Healthcare setting: schools—the sessions were mainly held on school premises after school hours.
Participants	1. Age: 15‐26 years (more than 50% older than 18) 2. Gender: both 3. Socioeconomic background: not specified 4. Educational background: most (96%+) currently in school, highest proportions in 9th and 10th grade Inclusion criteria—clusters: eligible locations were: a. about 10 km from the nearest cluster (to minimize contamination of study arms); b. had a senior or junior secondary school; and c. had community willing to participate (established through a process of community mobilization). Inclusion criteria—individual participants: a. aged 16‐23; b. normally resident in the village where they were at school; c. mature enough to understand the study and the consent process. Exclusion criteria: not specified. Note: at baseline, the intervention and control group scores for the Center for Epidemiological Survey for Depression (CES‐D) were, respectively, 11.36 (9.670) and 10.93 (9.989). Stated purpose: to assess the impact of Stepping Stones, an HIV prevention programme, on the incidence of HIV and risky behaviour
Interventions	Name: South African Stepping Stones (second edition) Title/name of PW and number: facilitators (11) 1. Selection: the same sex as the participants and either the same age or a little older; they were selected, in part, for their open‐mindedness and gender sensitivity. 2. Educational background: most had further education or had undergone life skills training. 3. Training: 3‐week‐long training and 2 practice groups 4. Supervision: facilitators were supervised (no further information reported). 5. Incentives/remuneration: not specified Prevention type: universal – all village residents in the age range were eligible for inclusion, and their baseline scores for the CES‐D were well below the cut‐off for the measure. Intervention details: Stepping Stones uses participatory learning approaches, including critical reflection, role‐play, and drama, and draws the everyday reality of participants’ lives into the sessions. It is delivered to single‐sex groups, which are run in parallel, and has 13 three‐hour‐long sessions that are complemented by three meetings of male and female peer groups and a final community meeting. The programme spanned about 50 hours and ran for 6 to 8 weeks. The sessions covered how we act and what shapes our actions; sex and love; conception and contraception; taking risks and sexual problems; unwanted pregnancy; sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; safer sex and condoms; gender‐based violence; motivations for sexual behaviour; dealing with grief and loss; and communication skills. Control: active control – the control intervention was a single 3‐hour session on HIV, safer sex, and condoms. The content was taken from Stepping Stones. This was delivered by facilitators who were trained and supervised separately to reduce contamination.
Outcomes	Participants’outcomes of interest for this review Depressive symptoms – CES‐D Carers’ outcomes of interest for this review Nil Economic outcomes Nil Time points: baseline, post‐intervention (7‐24 months)
Notes	Source of funding: National Institute of Mental Health grant No MH 64882‐01 and South African Medical Research Council. KD was funded from the Harry F Guggenheim Foundation and by the Emory Center for AIDS Research (P30 AI050409). Notes on validation of instruments (screening and outcomes): no specifications reported in the paper; the AUDIT and CES‐D have been extensively validated and used also in the country of application of the trial. Additional information: none Handling the data: not applicable Prospective trial registration number: NCT00332878