Abstinence Education WorksPosted: December, 2007 By Valerie Huber
Parents and policymakers must clearly understand the vast differences between abstinence and so-called comprehensive programs. Both have been repeatedly misrepresented in the media.
Abstinence programs offer a holistic approach, teaching teens how to build healthy relationships, increase self-worth and set appropriate boundaries in order to achieve future goals. Abstinence education shares the realities of sexually transmitted diseases and the best way to prevent them. Accurate information about contraception is provided, but always within the context of abstinence as the healthiest choice. The realistic limitations of condoms are shared but without the explicit demonstration and advocacy that characterizes "comprehensive" programs.
According to published research, abstinence programs are successful in delaying sexual onset and in helping sexually active teens choose to abstain. In Georgia, for example, teen pregnancy rates have been cut in half, dropping for 11 straight years since the state mandated abstinence education.
Abstinence opponents cite the narrow Mathmatica report as evidence against abstinence education. But a principal researcher of the study states results shouldn't be used to draw sweeping conclusions, in part because the study evaluated only four of 700 abstinence programs. The relatively new programs targeted young adolescents and provided no follow-up. The real "take away" from this research is targeting youth at only young ages is not enough, and as is true of any health message, abstinence must be reinforced throughout the teen years.
Studies show "comprehensive" programs do little more than promote contraceptive use, spending less than 5% of their course time promoting abstinence. A recent Health and Human Services study found that "comprehensive" programs exaggerate the effectiveness of condoms and encourage a false sense of protection. Further, the study noted that one popular program promoted graphic sexual behavior such as showering together as an acceptable "abstinent" activity.
Not surprisingly, a recent Zogby survey shows that when parents understand what abstinence vs. "comprehensive" sex education actually teaches, they prefer abstinence education by a 2-1 margin. The health and future of our teens depend on a common sense approach that works.
Valerie Huber is executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association. Reprinted with permission.
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