Teen Safety Matters Evaluation

Problem

Middle school students face risks of sexual abuse by adults as well as peers’ problematic sexual behaviors.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) and problematic sexual behaviors (PSB) among youth are pervasive public health issues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that at least one-in-four girls and one-in-20 boys experience CSA. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable, both as potential victims and perpetrators, during the critical developmental window of middle school.

Despite the urgency, few CSA prevention programs are tailored to this age group or address the broader context of polyvictimization. Schools are uniquely positioned to deliver prevention education, yet existing programs often demand significant classroom time and focus narrowly on peer relationships, leaving gaps in adult engagement and CSA-specific content.

The Monique Burr Foundation for Children (MBF) developed the Teen Safety Matters (TSM) program to address these gaps through a rules-based, developmentally appropriate curriculum for both students and school adults. NORC is conducting a rigorous evaluation of TSM to assess its effectiveness in reducing CSA and PSB in New York City’s diverse and economically disadvantaged middle school population.

Solution

NORC designed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the Teen Safety Matters program in New York City middle schools.

NORC is partnering with the Monique Burr Foundation and the New York City Board of Education to evaluate the TSM program through a three-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) in 40 public middle schools. The study includes three arms: TSM for both students and school adults, TSM for school adults only, and a control group. The TSM curriculum is grounded in a positive youth development framework and delivers prevention education through five clear, developmentally appropriate safety rules. The program is designed to be brief and flexible, requiring only 110 minutes of classroom time and eight hours of adult training, making it feasible for integration into existing school schedules.

NORC’s evaluation includes pre- and post-intervention surveys, process data, and longitudinal follow-up—as 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students transition to high school—to assess knowledge retention, behavioral outcomes, and the program’s impact on school climate.

Result

The evaluation will inform best practices for preventing child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior in middle schools.

NORC’s evaluation will generate critical evidence on the effectiveness of the TSM program in preventing CSA and PSB among middle school students. Findings will inform school-based prevention strategies and contribute to the broader evidence base on positive youth development and youth safety. The study will assess outcomes such as students’ recognition of unsafe situations, identification of Safe Adults, conflict management skills, and reductions in polyvictimization. For school adults, the evaluation will measure improvements in their ability to identify and respond to risks. Results will guide future implementation of TSM and similar programs in diverse school settings and support policy decisions aimed at fostering safer, more supportive learning environments.