Do abstinence programs work?

Introduction

The premise of abstinence programs is that abstinence is the best choice for youth when it comes to making sexual decisions. Schools and groups can conclude what type of programming to supply to their juvenile people. The current federal initiatives are driving the abstinence-until-marriage initiatives, and anyone receiving federal funding must adhere to specific guidelines (Kirby, 36). The evaluation of these programs shows some short-term impacts on attitudes and behavioral intent, but long-term studies on behavior are mixed. This entry provides a general overview of sexuality education, abstinence education, federal funding for abstinence programming, guidelines for selecting programs, and evaluation of abstinence programs.

Who additional can educate the children? The huge majority of young kids join public school, and schools are an ordered location to supply sexuality education. Programming may be educated by teachers, wellbeing teachers, nurses, doctors, or other credentialed professionals. No matter who is teaching the children, it is important for the school to verify the accuracy of the curriculum, evaluate the credentials of the provider, and be sure the curriculum meets with school district policies (Young, 19).

Discussion on Abstinence Program

Sex education guidelines are typically established at the state level and carried out at the local level. Almost every state demands sexuality learning, and some mandate abstinence education. Districts and groups may select from a variety of programs, from comprehensive sexuality education programs—which may cover birth command, a range of sexy behaviors, gender identity, life abilities, and anatomy and physiology—to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, which only talk about sexual undertaking within the context of marriage. School localities normally create principles delineating what kind of sexuality learning will be taught in what grades and what topics will be covered. Most school districts allow students, with parental permission, to opt out of sexuality education (Santelli, 56).

Sexuality learning has changed from the broader extending comprehensive sexuality learning in the 1970s to the current, more narrowly focused, federally financed abstinence-only-until-marriage programs of the late 1990s and today. The change in program focus can be attributed to a concern among some parents and communities that comprehensive sexuality education was teaching students how to have sex or was sending the mixed message 'Do not have sex—but if you do, be sure to use protection.' Some of the disfavor arose from not clearly delineating what could and should be taught in the schools, that is, concerns over what was developmentally appropriate and what was the purview of the parent. Some people felt abstinence education was a means of establishing moral purity and strengthening marriage (Goodson, 71).

Abstinence learning proponents support the one note of abstinence from sex and do not want scholars to receive the mixed note 'Yes, remain abstinent—but if you are not abstinent, then remember to use birth control.' numerous abstinence learning programs do not talk about birth command except to recount their malfunction rates. Components of abstinence learning programs can alter, but generally the focus is on the damage that arrives from sexual intercourse and early sexy involvement. Depending on the school district, curricula ...