Purpose

This study describes the results of an impact evaluation of the Linking Families and Teens (LiFT) program, a 5-hour program for families in rural communities. LiFT’s goal is to reduce unplanned teen pregnancies by increasing family connectedness and youth’s self-efficacy, knowledge, and sexual health skills.

Methods

LiFT was externally evaluated using a cluster randomized controlled trial. Families, consisting of one or more dyads of high school aged youth and their parenting adults, were randomly assigned to a study condition. The program was implemented 57 times in rural communities in 9 states. The analytic sample includes 786 youth (407 program and 379 control) with baseline, 3-month, and 12-month data. The analysis used an intent-to-treat framework using ordinary least squares regression to measure effects on each outcome.

Results

Fewer LiFT participants experienced a pregnancy than control youth, which was significant at 3 months (net of baseline, 0 program vs. 4 control) and marginally significant at 12 months (net of baseline, 6 program vs. 14 control.) At both follow-up periods, the program had statistically significant effects on youth’s frequency of communication with their parenting adults about sexuality and pregnancy prevention and on their perceived competence to prevent pregnancy.

Conclusions

LiFT achieved lasting effects on increasing parent-child communication and youth self-efficacy to prevent unwanted pregnancies a full year following the brief, family-focused workshop. LiFT’s impact on pregnancy was significant at 3 months and trended in the right direction at 12 months. A larger experimental study of this promising program is warranted to show the long-term effect on pregnancy.

中文翻译：

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连接家庭和青少年：针对农村青少年及其父母的家庭沟通和性健康教育计划的随机对照试验研究

目的

本研究描述了家庭与青少年联系 (LiFT) 计划的影响评估结果，该计划是一项针对农村社区家庭的 5 小时计划。LiFT 的目标是通过增加家庭联系和青少年的自我效能、知识和性健康技能来减少意外怀孕。

方法

使用集群随机对照试验对 LiFT 进行了外部评估。由一对或多对高中青年及其育儿成人组成的家庭被随机分配到研究条件中。该计划在 9 个州的农村社区实施了 57 次。分析样本包括具有基线、3 个月和 12 个月数据的 786 名青年（407 名计划和 379 名对照）。该分析使用意向治疗框架，使用普通最小二乘回归来衡量对每个结果的影响。

结果

与对照组相比，LiFT 参与者经历怀孕的次数较少，这在 3 个月时显着（基线后，0 个程序与 4 个对照组）和 12 个月时（基线后，6 个程序与 14 个对照组）略显着。）期间，该计划对青少年与父母就性和预防怀孕进行交流的频率以及他们认为预防怀孕的能力产生了统计学上的显着影响。

结论

在以家庭为中心的简短研讨会之后的一整年，LiFT 在增加亲子沟通和青年自我效能感方面取得了持久的效果，以防止意外怀孕。LiFT 对怀孕的影响在 3 个月时显着，并在 12 个月时朝着正确的方向发展。有必要对这个有前途的计划进行更大规模的实验研究，以显示对怀孕的长期影响。