Philadelphia Study of Kinship Support for Adolescents in Family Planning Programs, 1980-1981

Investigators: Roberta Herceg-Baron & Frank F. Furstenberg

The primary objective of this study was to test the impact of a program designed to promote greater communication between adolescents and their families. It was hypothesized that greater communication would improve contraceptive use. Three interviews were scheduled: one at the initial visit to the clinic, one at six months, and one at about 15 months after the initial visit. Information was collected on contraceptive use, pregnancy history, amount of communication with family members about sex and birth control, and experiences in the clinic programs. In addition, participants reported on their educational and occupational situation, life goals, relations with peers, and heterosexual experiences. Many of the questions were drawn from comparable surveys (DAAPPP Data Set Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 44, 45, and 63-66). The questions have thus been extensively tested, and the findings could be compared to earlier work. The adolescents in the study were evenly divided between whites and blacks. They were recruited from six federally funded family planning agencies over a 20- month period from January 1980 to September 1981. Initial contact with the adolescents was made in person; the first interview generally occurred in the clinic, and remaining interviews were carried out by phone. Of those adolescents who were approached, 93% agreed to cooperate, yielding a total sample of 502, including 61 (14%) controls (a family support, periodic support, and an additional control group). Attrition rates were low (88% concluded the second interview, 85% concluded the second follow-up). Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

Philadelphia Study of Premarital Sex Relations and Pregnancy Among Puerto Rican Youths, 1980-1985

Investigators: Manuel J. Gutierrez, Braulio Montalvo, Kay Armstrong, David Webb and Gary Pickens

The present study examines the health and social consequences of adolescent premarital sexual relations on a sample of Puerto Rican youths. Investigators used a longitudinal design, covering a five-year period to answer the following questions: Of what consequence are adolescent premarital sexual relations on personal, familial, peer, and sociocultural factors in the lives of Puerto Rican youths as they enter into early adulthood? How do the experiences and consequences of adolescent premarital sexual relations differ by gender for the youths in the study? What are the personal, familial, and cultural factors associated with premarital sexual relations among Puerto Rican adolescents? What is the role of peers and other institutional sectors in the initiation or postponement of premarital sexual relations? The data in waves 1 through 3 (1980-1982) were originally collected by investigators M. Gutierrez and B. Montalvo as a study entitled Dropping Out and Delinquency Among Puerto Rican Youths: A Longitudinal Study. Waves 1 through 3 include information from both the respondent and a parent (usually the mother). The study includes variables on educational status and delinquent behavior, as well as variables which tap into intra-familial processes, family interfaces with school and community, and peer influences. In addition, questionnaires obtained standard demographic data such as age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status, parents' educational and work status, family language, and number of years in the United States. The average ages of youths interviewed in waves 1 through 3 were 16.5, 17.5, and 18.5 respectively. Data from wave 4, collected when the youths were an average age of 21, documents the sexual behavior histories of a subsample of the youths interviewed in waves 1 through 3. Wave 4 contains data only from the youths. In this final wave, investigators documented not only the occurrence of premarital sexual behavior, but also the nature of the experience and relationship with the sexual partner. Information was collected on the youth's health status and economic well-being, along with extensive contraceptive, pregnancy, and birth histories. A number of items pertaining to educational and employment histories, family relations, drug and alcohol use, trouble with the law, aspirations for future, and cultural identification were included in the questionnaire.

Philadelphia Study of Psych. Factors Associated with Adolescent Fertility Regulation-Females, 1979-1981

Investigators: Eugenie Walsh Flaherty and Jeanne Marecek

The purpose of this study was to obtain very extensive information from adolescent females on a number of factors that were posited as being related to adolescent fertility regulation, including: parental communication regarding contraception, sex, and pregnancy; exposure to teenage pregnancy; attitudes toward various contraceptives, and contraceptive use. Two samples of adolescents were studied: those who were pregnant at the time of the first interview, and those who were not pregnant and had never borne a child at the time of the first interview. Respondents in the second sample were interviewed twice, with roughly a year's interval between interviews. The pregnant sample was drawn from four obstetrics/gynecology clinics participating in the study; the non-pregnant adolescent sample was drawn from the registry of the Philadelphia Collaborative Perinatal Project. Data were collected by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation.Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

Philadelphia Study of Psych. Factors Associated with Adolescent Fertility Regulation-Males, 1979-1981

Investigators: Eugenie Walsh Flaherty and Jeanne Marecek

The purpose of this study was to obtain very extensive information from adolescent males on a number of factors that were posited as being related to adolescent fertility regulation, including: parental communication regarding contraception, sex, and pregnancy; exposure to teenage pregnancy; and attitudes toward various contraceptives. Males' sexual and contraceptive experience comprised the major dependent variables of interest. The sample consisted of 77 black adolescent males aged 14 to 18 years who were enrolled in the Philadelphia Collaborative Perinatal Project. Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

Prime Time: A Positive Youth Development Program

Investigators: Renee Sieving, Jenny Oliphant, Kayci Rush, Bethany Divakaran, Jill Farris, and Glynis Shea

Prime Time is an 18-month multicomponent program that seeks to reduce sexual risk behaviors, violence involvement, and school disconnection among sexually active female adolescents at increased risk for early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The program is grounded in a Positive Youth Development framework that views young people as resources to be developed, not problems to be fixed. Prime Time aims to build adolescents’ skills and competencies, confidence, character, connections, and contributions through program activites. Prime Time consists of two core components. The first is one-on-one case management, which addresses social and emotional skills, responsible behaviors, healthy relationships, and positive involvement with family, school and the community. The second core component is a 16-session peer educator program called Just In Time, which addresses communication, stress management and conflict resolution skills, responsible sexual behaviors, sexual decision-making, and contraceptive use. Through a combination of case management and the peer educator program, Prime Time targets outcomes including fewer sexual partners; consistent condom and hormonal contraceptive use; reduced interpersonal aggression and violence; and reduced school misbehavior and dropout. An evaluation of Prime Time showed that receiving the intervention increased abstinence, as well as more consistent use of condoms, hormonal contraception, and dual-method contraception. Intervention participants also reported improvements in family connectedness and self-efficacy to refuse unwanted sex, and reductions in the perceived importance of having sex. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Project MARS: Motivating Adolescents to Reduce Sexual Risk

Investigators: Angela D. Bryan, Renee E. Magnan, Arielle S. Gillman, Elizabeth A. Yeater, Sarah W. Feldstein Ewing, Alberta S. Kong, & Sarah J. Schmiege

MARS (Motivating Adolescents to Reduce Sexual risk) is an intervention targeted at reducing adolescent risky sexual behavior, particularly in contexts where alcohol or marijuana use may be involved. An evaluation of the MARS intervention showed that it resulted in decreased incident sexually transmitted infections one year after delivery. This one-session, two-hour intervention is appropriate for community based settings including juvenile justice centers for use with high risk adolescents. The MARS intervention is delivered in a motivational enhancement therapy format. The approach for this intervention is grounded in the assumption that the responsibility and capability for change exist within the participant. The role of the intervention leader is to create an environment that will enhance the participant’s inherent motivation for, commitment to, and movement towards behavior change. The intervention involves group discussion and exercises focused on establishing a condom language, talking about condom use, provision of norms, self-affirmation, high risk situations, and how one might change, along with video review, interactive games, and skills building. The intervention is led by a Masters or PhD level therapist. Groups should be kept small and capped at 6 to 8 participants, and the age range of participants in the group should be restricted to two years (for example, 14-16 or 16-18) in order to keep the range of experiences similar. Although MARS is appropriate for all genders, if possible adolescent groups should be kept single-sex. MARS has been evaluated in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Data was collected at pre-test and immediate post-test as well as 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-intervention. The intervention was effective at reducing STI incidence. Participants had lower incidence of STI at follow-up than participants who received comparison interventions with only sexual risk or sexual risk and alcohol content, as opposed to sexual risk, alcohol, and cannabis content. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Project Redirection, 1980-1983

Investigators: Denise Polit

Project Redirection was a pilot program designed to help disadvantaged pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers achieve economic self-sufficiency. From 1980 to 1983 investigators compiled data from three interviews with participating teens (at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months) in order to evaluate the efficacy of Project Redirection in aiding pregnant or parenting teens as compared to a similar non-Redirection control group. Community-based organizations in four locations arranged a variety of services for Redirection participants including Individual Participant Plans (IPPs), peer group sessions, and community women (local volunteers for support and for positive role models). These services were designed to facilitate the teenagers' participation in educational, vocational, and/or parenting training programs. On average, teenagers stayed with the program for one year. Initial subjects had enrolled in program sites between September 1980 and July 1981 and, along with a comparison group, comprise Sample I. In the fall of 1981, funds became available to enlarge the research sample. Teens enrolled in the program between March 1981 and March 1982, together with an additional group of comparison teens, comprise Sample II. Sample II teens were not administered a baseline interview, since the decision to enlarge the sample came after many Sample II teens were already enrolled in the program. Because Sample II teens were not studied at baseline, many baseline variables for this group were obtained at the 12- month survey. Other baseline variables are missing for the entire Sample II group. Eighty-six percent of the original teenagers (675 of 789) completed the follow-up interviews. The DAAPPP file consists of information on 958 variables gathered from these 675 teens.Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

Project TALENT: Consequences of Adolescent Childbearing for the Young Parents' Future Life, 1960-1974

Investigators: J. J. Card

This study investigated the educational, occupational, and family-related consequences of adolescent pregnancy and childbearing for young women and men who were in the ninth grade in the U.S. in 1960. The study utilized data for a subset of 7,656 individuals (1,883 blacks and 5,773 whites) who had participated in a large-scale educational research study called Project TALENT. Data available include demographic background, cognitive characteristics, and social-psychological characteristics as measured in ninth grade; educational, marital, and childbearing histories through age 29; and plans and expectations at age 29 regarding future childbearing.Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

Queens Hospital Center's Teenage Program

Investigators: Jill M. Rabin & Vicki Seltzer

Based upon the premise that a teen's first pregnancy may stem from underlying, unmet needs, this clinic-based program provides medical care, psychosocial support, and education to the adolescent, her partner, and her family. The comprehensive approach to service emphasizes early intervention, beginning during pregnancy. For the duration of the intervention, each patient and her infant remain with a team of providers: an obstetrician-gynecologist, pediatrician, social worker, and health educator. The program also includes a physician/ practitioner 24 hour "on call" system and a reproductive health and family life education program, featuring bi-weekly classes for the patient, her partner, and family. In an effort to prevent repeat pregnancy and STDs, the teen's partner is encouraged to participate in education, support, and counseling activities. A field study of the intervention was conducted in Queens, New York, with 498 adolescents and their infants. Compared to a control group of teen mothers, program participants were more likely to attend and graduate from school and (for those who were sexually active) use regular contraception; additionally, both they and their infants experienced significantly better health. Moreover, the repeat pregnancy rate was significantly lower for program participants compared to the control group. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Re-Evaluating the Costs of Teenage Childbearing, 1988-1991

Investigators: Saul D. Hoffman, E. Michael Foster, and Frank F. Furstenberg, Jr.

In 1991 two researchers, A. T. Geronimus and S. Korenman, startled many researchers and policymakers with findings that early childbearing was not as devastating to the socioeconomic lives of teen mothers as was long perceived. By using "fixed-effects methodology" and comparing socioeconomic outcomes for sisters who had first births at different ages (with data from the 1982 National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women), Geronimus and Korenman concluded that teenage childbearing has little socioeconomic consequences and that the negative effects of teenage childbearing primarily reflect unmeasured family background rather than the true consequences of teen birth. The purpose of this study was to attempt to replicate the above findings using data from the longitudinal survey: the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The PSID is a national survey of American families conducted since 1968 by the Institute for Social Research. The 1968-1987 PSID family-individual files provide up to 20 years of annual demographic and socioeconomic information for all individuals in the original sample of approximately 5,000 households. The PSID oversampled poor families, but when weighted to reflect the initial sampling probabilities and subsequent attrition, the data are nationally representative. The statistical technique known as fixed-effects model can be employed to analyze parts of these data. Initially used for analyses of repeated observations over time, this technique accounts for individual-specific effects that are unobserved but fixed across repeated observations. The fixed-effects model frequently has been applied to the analysis of siblings but until recently was not used to analyze the socioeconomic consequences of teenage childbearing.