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Interim Impacts of the Gender Matters Program
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Interim Impacts of the Gender Matters Program

Impact Report from the Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches
Published: Apr 30, 2016
Publisher: Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research
Human Services Family Support Strengthening Families and Responsible Fatherhood Youth Development Research & Evaluation Evaluation Design

Associated Project

Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches

Time frame: 2008-2016

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health

Authors

Kimberly V. Smith

Claire Dye

Elizabeth Cook

Kristina Rosinsky

Mindy Scott

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • Gender Matters was successful in increasing youth exposure to information on reproductive health, pregnancy and STI prevention, birth control, and relationship topics measured six months after study enrollment.
  • We found some evidence of short-term effects of Gender Matters on youth knowledge and attitudes.
  • These short-term effects did not result in reduced rates of sexual activity or unprotected sex six months after study enrollment, or in changes in attitudes toward pregnancy, intentions toward sexual risk behaviors, or gender role beliefs.
This study reports interim findings from a large-scale demonstration project and evaluation of the Gender Matters program, an innovative comprehensive sexuality education curriculum that aims to reduce teen pregnancy and associated sexual risk behaviors, in part by challenging commonly held perceptions of gender roles and promoting healthy, equitable relationships. The study reports interim impacts of the program on adolescent sexual risk behaviors and other short-term outcomes measured six months after participants enrolled in the study. A separate report examines the program’s longer-term impacts on repeat pregnancy and sexual risk behaviors 18 months after study enrollment.

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