Date of Award

2018

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

Abstract

Teen pregnancy rates within the United States continue to be the highest amongst developed countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the Real Deal, a teen pregnancy prevention program currently implemented in a high school in a Midwestern state, has a short- and/or long-term impact on students' a) perceptions of taking care of a baby by oneself, b) abstaining from sexual activities, c) delaying pregnancies until obtaining a post-secondary education, and d) delaying pregnancies until after marriage. Furthermore, the study evaluated staff perceptions on a) ease of program implementation and b) adequacy of the content within the program. Data was analyzed using descriptive analysis for each survey administered to participants and the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test was utilized to determine the significance of the data obtained from the survey instruments. Survey instruments with a 5-point Likert-type scale were utilized to quantify participant responses, Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine the internal consistency of the survey instruments. Participants included Sophomore students in Section South (n=109) and staff who implemented the program (n=20). Overall findings of the study revealed a significant short-term and long-term impact of the program implementation on students' perceptions of taking care of a baby on one's own. Findings revealed a significant short-term, but no long-term impact on students' perceptions of delaying pregnancies until getting married. The findings revealed a significant long-term impact, but no short-term impact on students' perceptions of the importance of abstaining from sexual activities and delaying pregnancies until obtaining a post-secondary education. Staff who implemented the program overall agreed that the program is easy to implement and the content is relevant to teen pregnancy. Implications of the study are discussed.

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