Personalized Cognitive Counseling (PCC) is an individual-level, single session counseling intervention designed to reduce unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) who are repeat testers for HIV. PCC focuses on the person's self-justifications (thoughts, attitudes and beliefs) he uses when deciding whether or not to engage in high risk sexual behavior. PCC is a 30 to 50 minutes intervention conducted as a component of Counseling, Testing, and Referral Service (CTRS) for MSM who meet the screening criteria.
PCC targets MSM who previously tested for HIV, are HIV-negative, and had UAI since their last test with a male who was not their primary partner, and that partner's serostatus was positive or unknown.
General Training Information for PCC
The PCC Training of Counselors (TOC) is 2 days. The TOC is intended for frontline staff who will conduct PCC with clients, and have the following experience:
- Trained as an HIV antibody test counselor
- At least one year experience as an HIV test counselor
- Training and experience in a helping field (psychology, social work, counseling)
- Experience with and dedication to pursuing cultural competence with the populations of clients to be served
- Comfort with and knowledgeable about men who have sex with men
- Comfort with discussing sex frankly using everyday language
Research and Development
Dilley, J.W., Woods, W.J., Sabatino, J., Lihatsh, T., Adler, B., Casey, S.,...McFarland, W. (2002). Changing Sexual Behavior Among Gay Male Repeat Testers for HIV: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Intervention. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 30(2): 177-186.
Dilley, J.W., Woods, W.J., Loeb, L., Nelson, K., Sheon, N., Mullen, J.,...McFarland, W. (2007). Brief Cognitive Counseling With HIV Testing To Reduce Sexual Risk Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial Using Paraprofessional Counselors. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 44(5): 569-577.
Program Review Panel Information
The CDC requires all CDC-funded agencies using the PCC intervention to identify, or establish, and utilize a Program Review
Panel and complete Form 0.1113 to document this activity. The
intervention researchers and developers are not involved in this
activity. This is a CDC requirement for their grantees, and all
questions in this regard should be directed to your agency's CDC
Project Officer or to the health department funding your agency's
implementation of the intervention.
The Program Review Panel guidelines, instructions for completion of Form 0.113, and the form itself are available under the Related Links section of the this website.
CDC Policy on Youth Peer Outreach Workers
CDC funded (directly or indirectly) agencies using youth (either
paid or volunteer) in program outreach activities need to use caution
and judgment in the venues/situations where youth workers are placed.
Agencies should give careful consideration to the "age appropriateness"
of the activity or venue. Additionally, agencies should comply with all
relevant laws and regulations regarding entrance into adult
establishments/environments. Laws and curfews should be clearly
outlined in required safety protocols developed and implemented by
agencies directly and indirectly funded by CDC.
If you have specific questions, please contact your CDC project officer.