An Evaluation of the Yes You Can... Make Smart Choices Curriculum

The New Jersey Physicians Advisory Group (NJPAG) previously created the Yes You Can…Make Smart Choices! (YYC…MSC!) program with the goal of preventing teen pregnancy and enhancing character development in youth. YYC…MSC! is a fully developed intervention that NJPAG has experience implementing that is grounded in a theoretical framework with promising evidence of effectiveness. However, this intervention has not yet undergone a rigorous evaluation with a control or comparison group. This evaluation aims to conduct a randomized control trial (RCT) to determine the program's effectiveness. This evaluation will focus on the entire PREIS planned intervention, YYC…MSC!. The intervention will be implemented in 12 Newark Public Schools in New Jersey. Findings from this study will expand the evidence base on adolescent pregnancy prevention through this innovative program. After the study, findings will be disseminated to encourage program interest, support, and adoption in real-world service systems or communities, including schools. The primary research question is, "What is the effect of the 2-week YYC…MSC! program on 9th grade students in Northeast urban school districts' reports of engaging in sexual intercourse 12-months after the pre-survey compared to those that do not receive the program?" The outcome for the primary research questions is sexual intercourse in the last 3 months and the domain is sexual activity.