TOP Results

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: This is a TOP historical study. 695 high school teens in 25 school- and community-based sites across the US were randomly assigned to either receive TOP or regular programming offered by the site.

Outcome Results:
Improved academics: TOP teens showed lower risk of course failure compared to controls.
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens showed lower risk of school suspension and pregnancy compared to controls.

Reference: Allen, J.P., Philliber, S., Herrling, S., & Kuperminc, G.P. (1997). Preventing teen pregnancy and academic failure: Experimental evaluation of a developmentally based approach. Child Development, 64(4), 729-742.

Type of Evidence: Quasi-experimental

Study Description: This is a TOP historical study. 1,673 high school teens participating in TOP across the US were compared to 1,604 teens not receiving TOP.

Outcome Results:
Improved academics: TOP teens showed lower risk of course failure compared to controls.
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens showed lower risk of school suspension and pregnancy compared to controls.

Reference: Allen, J.P. & Philliber, S. (2001). Who benefits most from a broadly targeted intervention program? Differential efficacy across populations in the Teen Outreach Program. Journal of Community Psychology, 29(6), 637-655.

Type of Evidence: Quasi-experimental

Study Description: This study was conducted in St. Louis, MO by Washington University researchers. Two demographically similar middle schools were selected to participate as the intervention (TOP) and comparison school. The intervention school implemented TOP in 7th grade. Study included sample of approximately 200 teens.

Outcome Results:
Improved academics: TOP teens were less likely than comparison teens to report failing grades.
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens were less likely than comparison teens to report skipping classes without permission.

Reference: McBride, A.M., Chung, S., & Robertson, A. (2016). Preventing academic disengagement through a middle school-based social and emotional learning program. Journal of Experiential Education, 39(4), 370-385.

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: This is a TOP historical study. 695 high school teens in 25 school- and community-based sites across the US were randomly assigned to either receive TOP or regular programming offered by the site.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens showed lower risk of school suspension and pregnancy compared to controls. 
Improved academics: TOP teens showed lower risk of course failure compared to controls.

Reference: Allen, J.P., Philliber, S., Herrling, S., & Kuperminc, G.P. (1997). Preventing teen pregnancy and academic failure: Experimental evaluation of a developmentally based approach. Child Development, 64(4), 729-742.

Type of Evidence: Quasi-experimental

Study Description: This is a TOP historical study. 1,673 high school teens participating in TOP across the US were compared to 1,604 teens not receiving TOP.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens showed lower risk of school suspension and pregnancy compared to controls. 
Improved academics: TOP teens showed lower risk of course failure compared to controls.

Reference: Allen, J.P. & Philliber, S. (2001). Who benefits most from a broadly targeted intervention program? Differential efficacy across populations in the Teen Outreach Program. Journal of Community Psychology, 29(6), 637-655.

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: A report of study on TOP implemented by the Florida Department of Health, funded by the Office of Adolescent Health to examine sexual health outcomes. 26 Florida high schools were randomly assigned to either implement the program during the school day or to a control group that did not. This report was based on approximately 4,000 teens from one of two cohorts of study participants.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: Compared to teens in the control group, fewer TOP teens engaged in sexual intercourse and fewer TOP teens had ever been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant at program exit.

Reference: Daley, E.M., Buhi, E.R., Wang, W., Singleton, A., Debate, R., Marhefka, S., et al. (2015). Evaluation of Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program in Florida: Final impact report for Florida Department of Health. Findings from the replication of an evidence-based teen pregnancy program.

Type of Evidence: Quasi-experimental

Study Description: This study was conducted in St. Louis, MO by Washington University researchers. Two demographically similar middle schools were selected to participate as the intervention (TOP) and comparison school. The intervention school implemented TOP in 7th grade. Study included sample of approximately 200 teens.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: TOP teens were less likely than comparison teens to report skipping classes without permission.
Improved academics: TOP teens were less likely than comparison teens to report failing grades.

Reference: McBride, A.M., Chung, S., & Robertson, A. (2016). Preventing academic disengagement through a middle school-based social and emotional learning program. Journal of Experiential Education, 39(4), 370-385.

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: A peer reviewed journal article based on the Florida Department of Health and Office of Adolescent Health funded TOP study. 26 Florida high schools were randomly assigned to either implement the program during the school day or to a control group that did not. The sample size for this article was approximately 8,000 teens from two cohorts of study participants.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: Compared to teens in the control group, TOP teens were less likely to engage in recent sex and TOP females were less likely to engage in recent risky sex compared to control group females.

Reference: Walsh-Buhi, E.R., Marhefka, S.L., Wang, W., Debate, R., Perrin, K., Singleton, A., Noble, C.A., Rahman, S., Maness, S.B., Mahony, H., Ziemba, R., Malmi, M., Marwah, E., Hall, K., Turner, D., Blunt-Vinti, H., Noble, S., & Daley, E.M. (2016). The impact of the Teen Outreach Program on sexual intentions and behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 59, 283-290.

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: A peer reviewed journal article based on the Florida Department of Health and Office of Adolescent Health funded TOP study. 26 Florida high schools were randomly assigned to either implement the program during the school day or to a control group that did not. The sample size for this article includes approximately 4,000 teens from one of two cohorts.

Outcome Results:
Decreased risky behavior: Compared to the control group, teens in TOP were less likely to report recent sex, recent risky sex, and intention to have sex in the next year. 
Long-term outcome: At 1 year follow-up, TOP teens were less likely to ever be pregnant or have gotten someone pregnant. 

Reference: Daley, E.M., Marhefka, S.L., Wang, W. Noble, C.A., Mahony, H., Arzola, S., Singleton, A., Malmi, M., Ziemba, R., Turner, D., Marwah, E., & Wash-Buhi, E. (2019). Longitudinal evaluation of the Teen Outreach Programme: Impacts of a health promotion programme on risky sexual behaviours. Health Education Journal, 78(8), 916-930.

Type of Evidence: Experimental (RCT)

Study Description: A peer reviewed journal article based on the Florida Department of Health and Office of Adolescent Health funded TOP study. 26 Florida high schools were randomly assigned to either implement the program during the school day or to a control group that did not. The sample size for this article includes approximately 4,000 teens from one of two cohorts.

Outcome Results:
Long-term outcome: At 1 year follow-up, TOP teens were less likely to ever be pregnant or have gotten someone pregnant. 
Decreased risky behavior: Compared to the control group, teens in TOP were less likely to report recent sex, recent risky sex, and intention to have sex in the next year.

Reference: Daley, E.M., Marhefka, S.L., Wang, W. Noble, C.A., Mahony, H., Arzola, S., Singleton, A., Malmi, M., Ziemba, R., Turner, D., Marwah, E., & Wash-Buhi, E. (2019). Longitudinal evaluation of the Teen Outreach Programme: Impacts of a health promotion programme on risky sexual behaviours. Health Education Journal, 78(8), 916-930.