Understanding the Graphs and Forming Policy

The following graphs show factors that play a part in a teen's decision to initiate sexual activity. In sorting out the teen pregnancy problem, the need to find related or even unrelated activities that would aid in the postponement of sexual activity and thereby delay pregnancy became apparent. Some of these seemingly related activities might be more easily influenced than making a frontal assault on the complex issues of teen sexuality and teen pregnancy. Some of these behaviors seem to influence the change or transition rate from being a virgin to becoming a non-virgin in the year following the first measure of values and attitudes. An anonymous pre test was given to students before the Teen-Aid® program, then the program was given followed by a post test. In the case of the control or comparison schools, the pre test were given, a three-week delay with no program occurred, and then a post test was given. In both program and comparison schools the students were matched by their sex and date of birth. A year later, a follow-up test was administered to the same students. Their answers were matched with the tests from the previous year in order to measure a change in behavior. Important to note is that the attitudes and values expressed a year earlier were accurate predictors of whether the teen would initiate sexual activity one year later.

      

Yes, Teen-Aid® can help teens say NO

Who can influence or control the following situations?

The home may be best suited or most responsible for some behaviors and therefore most effectively express the expectation for those behaviors. In some cases the school programs like Teen-Aid® can positively impact situations and expectations which directly impact important factors in the onset of sexual activity.

 

Two parents at home make it harder for teens to have sex

Family structure impacts the level and onset of sexual activity for the children within those configurations. Families may not be able to return to the intact situations so they must function in a step or single parent configuration. Families in these configurations may need additional support to help their children remain abstinent. Ideally communities then should have a partnership role in being the support for families who have children at greater risk.

As young people begin setting expectations for their own future family structures, understanding the family structure implications may positively influence their commitment decisions.

The "other" category includes living with foster/guardian, an extended family member or as an emancipated minor.

Students were asked if they attended religious/ church services and how often. The answer to this question was then linked to the answer of whether they were sexually active one year later. These results were from public schools. Religious attendance and attitudes measured before the Teen-Aid® program presentation and again after the program made no impact on attitudes about religion which may be the best way to express that it is not a religious program. Religiousness comes from outside the public school but has an obvious impact on the initiation of sexual activity.

 

Statistically, Teen-Aid® doesn't teach religion, but more importantly it doesn't undermine religion which helps delay sex.

The home, not the school, makes an impact on the level of importance of religion and level of church attendance. Levels of importance and attendance seem to make similar and significant impact on teens' sexual behavior. The value of participation in religion has a positive and significant impact that policy makers should note as well as avoiding any actions that might undermine this value.

Dating patterns are most likely influenced by family standards but schools can reinforce parental roles by the use of certain curricula and by reducing the pressure for peers to couple off. The junior and senior high students demonstrated that teens can have sex without dating but steady or more long-term relationships increase the likelihood of sexual activity. The cause was not determined as to whether it was because of increasing opportunity or perceived levels of emotional and physical commitment.    

Going Steady may mean going "all the way."

 

 

I just can't be pregnant. We were drunk so the sperm must have been drunk and couldn't have found its way. Sperm are too smart to drink.

The home plays a major part in the expectations and access to alcohol that relates to drunkenness. However, school programs and the activities of immediate peers also impact this factor. Alcohol consumption plays a tremendously important role in whether or not a teen will begin having sex. Not in this research but in other studies, the impact of alcohol on the consistent use of contraception and increased number of partners makes alcohol important to address at both home and school.

 

I cut history classes now my baby is cutting teeth.

 

Truancy plays a role and is included in the cluster of behaviors that put teens at a higher risk of initiating sexual activity and subsequently experiencing pregnancies and other consequences. Skipping school may speak to the inner feelings of competency as well as a willingness to break rules, inability to see the long term consequences of personal behavior, decreased future goals, or merely more time available to engage in behaviors which lead to sexual activity. More focused research is needed to give specific causes, but a policy of home and school cooperation in reducing truancy may be a practical procedure in reducing sexual activity rates.

 

 

Perception and ease of access to birth control for unmarried teens is both a home or community issue and a school issue. The slogan, "Do no harm" may apply to policy about increasing teens' perception of access. However, difficulty of obtaining services made less impact than actual information or student perception about adult expectations for the immediate need and use of birth control. In Title XX research done relating to the effectiveness of abstinence education material, large amounts of information about delivery of the birth control message are not available. The information that was available came from classrooms where the teachers added additional materials beyond the scope of the school district program or at least beyond the Teen-Aid® classroom program. Content, delivery or teacher instruction was not measurable or controllable in this project.                

 

Would Mr. Smith have hyped birth control if he didn't think we could handle having sex?

 

 

Students with higher grades are less likely to initiate sexual activity. Grades may be a composite measure of a student’s future intentions toward success or related to perceived personal worth. Focusing on the grade factor gives another indicator and possible solution for reducing levels of sexual involvement. Programs addressing scholastic achievement can be begun in elementary grades and can be another bridge in building parent school relationships. Understanding the connection between scholastics and teen pregnancy gives another angle to assist teens and their families.                   

No thanks; I prefer college to a colicky baby.

 

 

There is life after age 15 especially without AIDS

Students who perceive that their personal actions today have consequences that impact their future are less likely to initiate sexual activity. This is one measure on the values scale in which the girls lagged behind boys at pre test. The Teen-Aid® classroom teachers were able to reinforce or teach a sense of the future during the program. At post test, girls' sense of future were more impacted by classroom discussions than were boys which brought them nearly up to the boys' level of future intention for success.

 

 

Measuring levels of sexual activity or sexually transmitted diseases are not always accurate on a self-administered test. Behaviors are less likely to be revealed than attitudes and values, and tests with questions about behaviors are harder to get permission to administer. The benefit of this federally funded research was to gain permission from districts to gather this often difficult information. The correlation between intentions and future behavior can be used in sites where attitudes, but not behavior can be measured to monitor program results.                      

What you intend to do gets done. What you don't plan on doing waits?

 

 

Uh, I must be the last virgin in the state?

Peer pressure to have sex and peer pressure to remain abstinent appear to be equally as significant. Classroom presentations with committed teachers can increase peer support for abstinence and a rejection of permissive behaviors that may result in sexual involvement. Parents may be able to play a role in the friendships of their children.

      

Good friends help you stay away from drugs and sex.

    

 

One of the most revealing results was that increased information by itself did not change behavior in positive direction. It appears in being done currently, that values motivate the individual to change behavior. The sex education policy implications and struggles based on values education and the specific behavior changes desired may consume communities for at least the rest of this decade.                    

Values drive behavior more than knowledge

 

 

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