Evaluation of the Get Real Middle School Sexual Education Curriculum


Ongoing since 2007

Project Directors: Sumru Erkut, Ph.D., Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D.

This project is an evaluation of the effectiveness of Get Real, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM) middle school comprehensive sex education curriculum. The evaluation is designed to assess the curriculum's effectiveness in achieving short-term objectives, such as positive attitudes toward delaying sexual activity and toward contraception and protection use; effective communicating about sex with parents and peers; greater understanding of the need to limit the number of sexual encounters and sexual partners; increased understanding of the risks involved in frequent sex, sex with an older partner, and having many sex partners; increased intention to practice correct and consistent use of protection and not to combine sexual activity with substance use. The long-term objective is promoting sexual health through limiting unintended pregnancies and increasing the correct and consistent use of contraceptives and other protection. 

The WCW evaluation team consists of Sumru Erkut, Ph.D. and Jennifer Grossman, Ph.D. as project directors, and Ineke Ceder, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., May Chen (student assistant), Lorraine Cordeiro, Ph.D., Alice Frye, Ph.D., and Allison Tracy, Ph.D..

In 2007-2008, the WCW evaluation team completed a formative evaluation of Get Real. You can click here for a copy of the Executive Summary of the formative evaluation.