Teen Safety Matters: Checking if a school program helps prevent child sexual abuse and risky behaviors
Official title: CE25-026 - An Impact Evaluation of the Monique Burr Foundation Teen Safety Matters Prevention Education Program
Funded at National Opinion Research Center · NIH-11422038 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A field test in New York City public middle schools will see if Teen Safety Matters helps reduce child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior among students and supports adults in schools.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Opinion Research Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2025 |
| Project end | September 29, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,771 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CE003740-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422038 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are middle school students and school staff in diverse urban districts participating in the program.
✕Less likely to help
Some schools or students may not experience noticeable changes in CSA or PSB within the study period.
What this research studies
This project tests Teen Safety Matters in real urban middle schools with a diverse, economically disadvantaged student body. Teams will randomly assign schools to receive the program for students and adults, adults only, or to a control group, then track outcomes over several years. The study focuses on whether the program lowers CSA and PSB occurrences and whether effects differ across student groups. It uses a rigorous, real-world design to understand durability of impact from middle school through early high school.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce CSA and PSB risk in middle schools and provide a validated approach for safer school communities.
How similar studies have gone: Prior school-based prevention work has shown mixed but promising results, with this study providing rigorous evidence in a diverse urban setting.
Where this research is happening
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National Opinion Research Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mumford, Elizabeth a — National Opinion Research Center
- Study coordinator: Mumford, Elizabeth a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.