This article reports the findings and methodology of an evaluation of Prime Time, a youth development intervention to reduce pregnancy risk among adolescent girls by reducing sexual risky behaviors.
Teen pregnancy and childbearing are linked with adverse outcomes for teen mothers and their children, including lower educational attainment for teen parents, lower overall well-being for their children, and increased poverty for young families. Prime Time is a multi-component, youth-development intervention for girls at high risk for pregnancy. Designed for primary-care clinics, this 18-month intervention is intended to reduce precursors of teen pregnancy by countering sexual risky behaviors, involvement in violence, and school maladjustment. This evaluation of Prime Time consisted of a randomized trial that involved clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The focus was on sexual health outcomes that included patterns of contraceptive use, number of sex partners, and related psychosocial attributes. These outcomes were measured 6 months after the conclusion of the intervention. A total of 253 girls who were sexually active and met at least one risk criterion accepted the invitation to enroll in Prime Time. Of the 253 girls, 118 participated in community clinics and 135 participated in school-based clinics. A control group consisted of 318 eligible girls who did not participate in Prime Time. Outcome measures were self-reported consistency of condom, hormonal, and dual-method contraceptive use with most recent male sex partner and number of male sex partners in the past 6 months. At the 24-month follow-up, the intervention group reported significantly more consistent use of condoms, hormonal contraception, and dual-method contraception than the control group. Prime Time participants also reported improvements in family connectedness and self-efficacy to refuse unwanted sex, as well as perceived importance of having sex. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 41 references