This project provides important knowledge about the serious health issue of school-age pregnancy. Project goals included:

  • a meta-analytic literature review of outcome studies for prevention of school age pregnancy;
  • a nation-wide survey of state responses to teen pregnancy;
  • a directory of Texas researchers;
  • the 1989-93 Trend Data Report;
  • a survey of model programs in the state of Texas;
  • a qualitative analysis of teen perspectives; and
  • a literature review and recommendations on culturally competent practice with pregnant and parenting teens.

Project reports will be available in the Fall of 1995. This project has been structured as a partnership between the Center for Social Work Research and The Texas Department of Health, with an emphasis on producing research data to support legislators. An agreement was reached to begin the project by focusing on the meta-analytic literature review of outcome studies on pregnancy prevention, The Directory of Texas Researchers, and the state survey of responses to school-age pregnancy. The meta-analysis will be presented at the national conference of the National Association of Social Workers under the title “Teen Pregnancy Prevention: What Works?” and also at the national conference of the National Council on Family Relations under the title “Primary Prevention of Teen Pregnancy: A Meta-Analysis and Policy Review.” The United States General Accounting Office has expressed interest in using the data contained in this meta-analysis as a comparison set to their own data on teen pregnancy prevention.

Sponsor:
Texas Department of Health