Evaluating Associations of the Personal Responsibility and Education Program (PREP) with Adolescents’ Sexual Health and Relationship Advocacy

Comprehensive sex education (CSE) has gained much attention as many studies have shown significant effects on sexual health behaviors and outcomes. However, research and program evaluation studies assessing the impact of sex education specifically in the southern states are limited. We evaluated the association between participation in the personal responsibility education program (PREP), a federally funded CSE program implemented in a southern state and adolescents' sexual health indicators as well as relationship advocacy. Additionally, we examined the indirect effects of adolescents' intentions on sexual health indicators and relationship advocacy after being exposed to PREP. Lastly, this study examined whether participants' age moderated the indirect association. Self-report data were collected from 501 youth (Mage =15.56, SD = 1.26, 54.1% female, 79.8% African American, 3.6% Hispanic, 8.4% White, 8.2% Other) between October 2021 and October 2023. Findings indicate that participation in PREP is associated with positive outcomes in adolescents' sexual health indicators, behavioral intent, and relationship advocacy. Overall, these results underscore the significance of CSE programs in promoting healthier sexual behaviors and proactive relationship advocacy among adolescents.