title: Randomized controlled trial of 'teens and toddlers': a teenage pregnancy prevention intervention combining youth development and voluntary service in a nursery.
abstract: We conducted an independent evaluation of the "Teens and Toddlers" intervention. Our randomized trial examined effects on self-reported last sex without contraception, >1 episode of sex without contraception in previous 3 months, expectation of teenage parenthood and youth development score, plus secondary outcomes among 449 at-risk girls age 13/14 in England. The intervention involves 18-20 weekly sessions in pre-school nurseries. Response rates were 95% post-intervention and 91% one year later. At follow-up two, there was no evidence of intervention benefits for primary outcomes and a positive impact for our secondary outcome, low self-esteem. At follow-up one, there was no evidence of benefits for our primary outcomes but evidence of benefits for our secondary outcomes: low self-esteem; low sexual health knowledge; and difficulty discussing the contraceptive pill. The intervention should be refined, with a clearer logic model and more emphasis on sex education, and re-evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER, UK. christopher.bonell@spi.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonell
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maisey
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Speight
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Purdon
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keogh
authors.forename: Ivonne
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wollny
authors.forename: Annik
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorhaindo
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wellings
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014838:Volunteers
keywords: Adolescent [MeSH]; Department for Education; DfE; Health promotion [MeSH]; Pregnancy in adolescence [MeSH); Randomized controlled trial [MeSH]; Schools; Sexual behaviour [MeSH]; T&T; Teens and Toddlers; nursery [MeSH]