My Future Self Program for Teenage Pregnancy Prevention

Overseen By Frances LaSalle-Castro

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Outside age range, Currently pregnant, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 7

704 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The trial aims to test a program designed to prevent teen pregnancies among youth aged 16-19 in Los Angeles and San Diego. The program, called My Future Self, includes five group sessions on health education, contraception, and future family planning. Participants will either join these sessions along with their usual services or continue with their regular services. The trial seeks youth who are not currently pregnant, plan to stay local, and are involved with certain partner agencies or schools. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to important research that could shape future teen pregnancy prevention programs.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the My Future Self program is safe for youth?

Research has shown that the "My Future Self" program aims to prevent teenage pregnancy. It includes group sessions that cover abstinence, contraception, and future planning.

Regarding safety, "My Future Self" is an educational program, so it poses no medical risks like those associated with drugs or surgeries. It centers on learning and discussions, resulting in no physical side effects. Studies of similar programs have demonstrated a positive impact on teens by reducing risky behaviors without causing harm.

In summary, participating in this program is safe. It focuses on providing knowledge and support rather than physical treatment. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the My Future Self Program because it offers a fresh approach to teenage pregnancy prevention by focusing on empowering teens through education and future planning. Unlike traditional programs that might just emphasize abstinence or contraception, this program combines health education with discussions on personal goals, parenthood, and healthy relationships. By engaging teens in a series of interactive group sessions, it encourages them to think about their future and make informed decisions that align with their long-term aspirations. This holistic approach aims to provide teens with both the knowledge and motivation to make choices that prevent unintended pregnancies.

What evidence suggests that the My Future Self program is effective for teenage pregnancy prevention?

Research shows that the "My Future Self" program, which participants in this trial may receive, aims to prevent teenage pregnancies by educating teens and helping them plan for their future. Although specific data on this program's effectiveness is not available, similar programs have shown promise. For instance, one program aimed at preventing teen pregnancies found a 28% reduction in the chances of having unprotected sex three months after it ended. These programs typically teach teens about birth control and encourage them to consider their future goals, which are important components of "My Future Self." Such educational programs have been linked to fewer teen pregnancies by helping young people make informed decisions. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mona Desai

Principal Investigator

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking youth aged 16-19 in Los Angeles and San Diego who are not traditionally schooled, may face issues like unstable housing or poverty, and are not currently pregnant. They should be available locally for the duration of the 5-week program.

Inclusion Criteria

Not previously enrolled in the study

English-language speakers

No immediate travel plans

Exclusion Criteria

Currently pregnant

Not planning to be in the area for the length of the intervention

Previously enrolled in the study

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive the My Future Self intervention, consisting of 5 group sessions over 5 weeks, focusing on health education around abstinence, contraception methods, and future planning.

5 weeks

5 group sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants complete surveys to assess the effectiveness of the intervention at 6 months and 12 months.

12 months

2 surveys (remote)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• My Future Self

Trial Overview 'My Future Self' is a new group intervention aimed at preventing teen pregnancy. It's a 5-week program tested against regular services provided to youths in non-traditional settings. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive this intervention or just continue with their usual services.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: My Future Self Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

My Future Self - 5 group sessions; 1 hour each over 5 weeks; content includes: health education around abstinence and contraception methods, and consideration of goals of parenthood and family planning in their adult future; future plans, discussion of healthy intimate partner relationships/

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Youth will continue to receive any services that they would normally receive around health education.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

257

Recruited

5,075,000+

ETR Associates

Collaborator

Trials

14

Recruited

12,900+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Adolescent pregnancy rates have decreased due to various interventions, but significant disparities still exist among different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, indicating that many adolescents lack access to necessary sexual health information and services.

Future strategies should focus on enhancing educational program quality, engaging youth in policy design, utilizing technology for health literacy, and addressing structural racism to ensure equitable access to sexual health resources.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Perspectives on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Strategies in the United States: Looking Back, Looking Forward. Brindis, CD., Decker, MJ., Gutmann-Gonzalez, A., et al.[2023]

The Adolescent Family Life Program aims to prevent adolescent pregnancies by targeting education and outreach before adolescents become sexually active, addressing the rising trends in premarital sexual activity and out-of-wedlock births.

The program also focuses on supporting adolescent parents through services like prenatal care, nutrition counseling, and vocational training, while emphasizing family involvement to create effective prevention strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Adolescent Family Life Program as a prevention measure. Mecklenburg, ME., Thompson, PG.[2021]

The paper highlights the need for better psychological understanding and research on teen contraceptive compliance, emphasizing the importance of self-regulation in improving birth control use among teenagers.

It reviews various programs aimed at enhancing teens' contraceptive choices and identifies predictive factors for contraceptive use, suggesting that integrating findings from medical, behavioral, and self-regulation theories can inform effective program development to reduce teen pregnancy rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teen contraception: a review of perspectives on compliance. Beck, JG., Davies, DK.[2019]

Teenage pregnancy is increasingly recognized as a significant social issue in the United States, prompting the need for effective prevention strategies.

The proposed comprehensive prevention program focuses on cognitive-behavioral training techniques to equip adolescents with the skills needed to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preventing unwanted adolescent pregnancy: a cognitive-behavioral approach. Schinke, SP., Gilchrist, LD., Small, RW.[2017]

A study involving 84 high-risk adolescent females revealed that most defined success in terms of higher education and good jobs, yet many believed that having a child would not hinder their educational goals.

Despite recognizing the importance of education and career for success, the only significant factor predicting the use of contraception was the belief that childbearing would negatively impact their finances, suggesting that traditional motivational strategies in pregnancy prevention counseling may need to be reevaluated.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adolescents: their futures and their contraceptive decisions. Richards, MJ., Sheeder, J.[2019]

School-based health clinics play a crucial role in supporting pregnant and parenting teens, which can help mitigate negative pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and developmental delays.

Providing educational support, counseling, and community resources through these clinics is essential for improving the overall well-being and academic performance of teenage parents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of school-based health clinics on teenage pregnancy and parenting outcomes: an integrated literature review. Strunk, JA.[2019]

All five reviewed adolescent pregnancy prevention programs effectively emphasized abstinence, decision-making skills, and education on sexuality and contraception, with four providing access to contraceptive services.

Programs targeting younger adolescents were particularly successful, reducing sexual initiation by up to 15 percentage points and increasing contraceptive use by as much as 22 percentage points, with the most effective programs also significantly decreasing pregnancy rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding the impact of effective teenage pregnancy prevention programs. Frost, JJ., Forrest, JD.[2022]

Despite a decline in adolescent pregnancy rates over the past decade, it remains a significant public health issue with long-term effects on young mothers and their families.

Effective prevention strategies include community programs focused on social development, education on responsible sexual behavior, and enhanced contraceptive counseling, with family physicians playing a crucial role in fostering open discussions about reproductive health with adolescents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pregnancy prevention in adolescents. As-Sanie, S., Gantt, A., Rosenthal, MS.[2004]

Citations

1. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-teen-pregnancy-3-2023-f309b

My Future Self Program for Teenage Pregnancy Prevention This trial tests a program called 'My Future Self' aimed at preventing pregnancy among teenagers aged 16-19 in Los Angeles and San Diego Counties.

2. ctv.veeva.com ctv.veeva.com/study/evaluation-of-my-future-self-an-new-teen-pregnancy-prevention-group-intervention-for-youth-in-non-t

Evaluation of My Future Self, an New Teen Pregnancy ... My Future Self is a 5 week program consisting of 5 group sessions. Our study will enroll up to 704 highly mobile youth from various sites in Los ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7567553/

Perspectives on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Strategies ... Dramatic decreases have occurred in adolescent pregnancy and childbearing, reflecting changes in social norms and greater accessibility and use of contraception ...

4. opa.hhs.gov opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/ppa-teenpep-interimimpact.pdf

Impact Report from the Evaluation of Adolescent ... There is little evidence, however, that. Teen PEP influenced outcomes within the attitudes, decision making and self-efficacy, communication, or substance ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5813773/

Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Among Youths Living in ... Youths who received the PTC intervention had 28% lower odds of having had sex without using birth control in the past 3 months at the 6-month postintervention ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8744042/

A program evaluation of the Innovative Teen Pregnancy ... In 2007, the first list of evidence-based programs (EBPs) for teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) was released, which identified 15 programs shown to delay sexual ...

7. opa.hhs.gov opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/ppa-topp-finalimpact.pdf

Impact Report from the Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy ... To assess the program's impact on this primary outcome, we use data from an 18-month follow-up survey to measure rates of repeat pregnancy among participants in ...

8. countyhealthrankings.org countyhealthrankings.org/strategies-and-solutions/what-works-for-health/strategies/teen-pregnancy-prevention-programs

Teen pregnancy prevention programs There is some evidence that pregnancy prevention programs reduce sexual activity, reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs), increase use of ...