Evaluation
Evaluation
Power Through Choices is a proven effective program and is widely recognized as an evidence-based program. The outcome findings documented a number of statistically significant changes in knowledge, attitude, intention, and behavior, providing strong evidence of effectiveness
Evidence-Based Program
Power Through Choices is a proven effective program and is widely recognized as an evidence-based program:
Evaluation Findings, 2025
This project’s purpose was to explore new questions in the area of promoting healthy behaviors to prevent adolescent pregnancy in system-involved young people. Our initial goal was to identify components of programs that directly influence sexual risk-taking behaviors among this population, in order to ultimately reduce disparities in adolescent birth rates. Our secondary goal was to identify characteristics of system-involved young people that should be considered when tailoring adolescent pregnancy prevention programs.
This project advanced our knowledge on what structural components and conditions impact the effectiveness of adolescent pregnancy prevention interventions aimed at system-involved young people, allowing us to better tailor the program to address the needs of this population.
Typically, studies of adolescent sexual reproductive health, especially when related to adolescent pregnancy prevention, focus primarily on girls. This study is unique in that the resulting combined sample is predominantly male. Having more males in the study increases its usefulness and impact by demonstrating the need for comprehensive sexuality education for all genders.
The sample aligned with the extant literature in that the majority of young people were very young at the time of their first sex. This is not unusual among young people involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Some important factors that could help prevent pregnancy emerged. Power Through Choices had a significant impact on participants’ attitudes about condoms and a significant impact on the reduction of having oral sex for both boys and girls. As this is a population that may have experienced oral sex as a part of the abuse and/or trauma that led to their system involvement, this may speak to the effects of the intervention to empower them with the choice to say no to that specific sexual behavior.
What Did We Learn?
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Young people who reported having had oral sex and unfavorable attitudes about condoms at baseline were more likely to have ever been pregnant or gotten a partner pregnant.
Males who reported having had sex at age 11 or younger were more likely to have gotten a partner pregnant than other age groups of males.
Those young people who reported having never had an STI were more likely to have ever been pregnant or gotten a partner pregnant.
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Males who reported having had sex at age 11 or younger were more likely to have gotten a partner pregnant than other age groups of males.
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Young people who reported having had oral sex and unfavorable attitudes about condoms at baseline were more likely to have ever been pregnant or gotten a partner pregnant.
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Those young people who reported having never had an STI were more likely to have ever been pregnant or gotten a partner pregnant.
What Do We Recommend?
Sex Education
Build Skills
Include skills to delay onset of sexual behaviors that transmit STIs and/or cause pregnancy.
Increase Education
Provide males/men more education and earlier.
Adapt Programs
Adapt programs, such as Power Through Choices, to address the diverse needs of this population and help reduce birth disparities among various subgroups of system-involved young people who are most at risk.
Sexual & Reproductive Health Care
Expand Access
Provide access to condoms at a younger age.
Proactive Care
Provide reproductive and sexual health screenings and services at a younger age.
Prioritize Testing
Increase STI testing, especially among young people who have engaged in sexual behaviors, consensual or not, at age 11 or younger.
Impact Evaluation Report, 2016
Power Through Choices was evaluated as part of the federal Evaluation of Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Approaches (PPA) in collaboration with the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and its independent evaluators at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the University of Nevada, Reno. PPA was a national evaluation funded by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) to study the effectiveness of seventeen pregnancy prevention approaches. The PPA evaluation conducted random-assignment studies to provide rigorous evidence about program impacts, document implementation of the program, and generate insights about the successes and challenges of delivering innovative teen pregnancy prevention programs.
Data collection and analysis were completed in the summer of 2015. The final Impact Evaluation Report was released in September 2016. The outcome findings documented a number of statistically significant changes in knowledge, attitude, intention, and behavior, providing strong evidence of effectiveness.
More knowledge of HIV, STIs, and birth control
Felt more equipped to communicate with partner(s)
Felt more equipped to plan for/avoid unprotected sex
Felt more equipped to obtain birth control
Lower rates of sexual activity
Less likely to report having sex without birth control
Less likely to be involved in a pregnancy
Want to know more about this evidence-based curriculum? Or are you ready to go and want training? We can help!
Learn More
Check out these resources, briefs, reports, and presentations about Power Through Choices.
Get It Now: Curriculum Materials
Power Through Choices is available for purchase now. Materials include everything you need to implement the curriculum with young people.
Print Materials
With your purchase, you’ll receive a print copy of the following materials in a three-ring binder.
- Session plans
- Facilitator notes
- Handouts
Digital Downloads
With your purchase, you will also receive a link to download a digital copy of the documents needed for implementation:
- Survey tool for youth participants
- Certificates of completion template
- Power Through Choices style guide
- Slideshow template for the sessions on STIs and anatomy
Optional Training-of-Facilitators
As of September 2023, the Power Through Choices Training-of-Facilitators is encouraged but not required. After purchasing the curriculum, you have the option to enroll in a virtual Power Through Choices Training-of-Facilitators within one year of purchase, at no additional cost (training fee is included in the cost of the curriculum). We offer these trainings virtually twice a year.
Ordered your curriculum already? Check out our events calendar to find the next training date. Or, let us know how we can help.
Quick Look
Power Through Choices is an evidence-based sexual health education program specifically designed for adolescents ages 13–18 involved in systems of care.
10, 90-Minute Sessions
For Young People, Ages 13-18, Involved in Systems of Care
Trauma-Informed
Choice-Focused
Evidence-Based Program
Based in Theory
Self-Empowering
LGBTQ+-Inclusive
Implement in a Wide Range of Settings
For Groups of 8-20 Participants
Read on to learn more about the curriculum including evaluation findings, adaptations, facilitator resources, and training.
Facilitation Resources & Training
Ready to go? We’ve got the resources, training, and support you need to implement Power Through Choices.
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