Evaluation of an Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program; Relationship Smarts+ With Lessons From Mind Matters

Relationship Smarts Plus and Mind Matters: A Randomized Control Trial of a Youth Intervention to Reduce Sexual Risk Behaviors.

The goal of this randomized control trial (RCT) is to assess an innovative adolescent pregnancy prevention program among youth that are at the highest risk of adolescent pregnancy, to prevent pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS in the greater Miami area in Florida. The primary research question it aims to answer is:

(RQ1a): What is the effect of adding 4.5-hours from the Mind Matters trauma-coping skills curriculum to the Relationship Smarts Plus curriculum, on rates of unprotected sex among 13-19-year-old youth compared to those receiving only the Relationship Smarts Plus curriculum? (RQ1b): What is the effect of the Relationship Smarts Plus curriculum on rates of unprotected sex among 13-19-year-old youth compared to the control group receiving only financial literacy? Participants will complete program lessons and complete surveys for data collection.

The RCT will assess behavioral health outcomes and other psychological outcomes at four-time points (baseline, post-program, 3 months, and 12 months)

The intervention combines the pregnancy prevention curriculum, Relationship Smarts Plus (RSP+) with lessons from the trauma coping skills curriculum, Mind Matters (MM). The mental health component was added to assess the importance of mental health as a risk factor for teen pregnancy. Researchers will estimate the effect of Mind Matters (MM) by comparing the RSP+ & MM treatment arm with the RSP+ treatment arm. This answers RQ1a: If MM has an impact, then researchers will answer RQ1b by comparing the RSP+ treatment arm with the control arm. If there's no impact, then RQ1b will be answered by comparing the pooled RSP+ and RSP+ & MM treatment arms with the control arm.

This study is funded through the Personal Responsibility Education Program Innovative Strategies (PREIS), which is administered by the Family and Youth Services Bureau, part of Health and Human Services,

Trinity Church, Miami Gardens, is responsible for site and participant recruitment as well as the implementation of the intervention. Participants are randomized at the classroom level. All control group participants will only receive a financial literacy program.

AMTC & Associates is the external evaluator, The Dibble Institute is the curricula developer.

Inclusion Criteria:

For schools to be included in the study:

They have to be located within the greater Miami area.

For individuals:

1. Students enrolled in either 9th,10th, 11th and 12th grade
2. Students who do not have severe cognitive, mental health, or behavioral impairment.
3. Students with Individualized Education Plans who are part of the mainstream classrooms.
4. Youth aged 13-19 residing in the greater Miami-Dade Communities

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Students who do not consent to be in the study
2. Students who are part of the pilot study
3. Students who have been randomized in a previous cohort of the study
4. Students with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) who are in restricted placement will not be able to participate in the program as they will not be part of the mainstream classrooms where the program is implemented.