Project TAKING CHARGE
Investigator: American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

This program, developed for junior high school home economics classrooms, integrates family life education with lessons on vocational exploration, interpersonal and family relationships, decision-making and goal-setting. A key premise of the intervention is that vocational planning can lead teens to attractive alternatives to early sexual involvement and parenthood. In addition, placing a strong emphasis on values, Project TAKING CHARGE promotes abstinence as the correct choice for adolescents, and no material on contraception is included. The curriculum comprises five instructional units that are divided into 27 class lessons. There are also three parent-youth sessions during which adults are encouraged to communicate their own sexual values and assist teens in defining and attaining occupational goals. A field study was conducted with 136 youths from three low-income communities with elevated rates of teen pregnancy. Six months following the intervention, program participants showed significant gains in knowledge of sexual development, STDs, and the risks of adolescent pregnancy, relative to a comparison group of students. There was also some evidence, falling just short of significance, that participation was associated with a delay in the initiation of sexual intercourse. View more detailed information on this program.

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Materials in this program package are licensed for use in one implementation site. All materials are copyrighted and may not be copied or distributed. If you would like to order additional materials or program packages, please contact: Laurie Rose, Director of Customer Support, Email: lrose@socio.com Tel: 650-383-6253.