Publications on Abstinence Print

Adolescent Protective Behaviors: Abstinence and Contraceptive Use  (The Facts) (Order publication - $1.00)
Although U.S. teens are increasingly adopting protective sexual behaviors, they face barriers to consistency in these behaviors. Advocates examines statistics from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and other sources to better understand young people’s risk behaviors and protective behaviors.

Adolescent Sexual Behavior. I: Demographics (The Facts) (available online only)
In the United States, 45.6 percent of high school students and 79.5 percent of college students ages 18-24 have had sex. Sexual behavior differs by race/ethnicity, gender, partner preference, and urban/rural residence.

Adolescent Sexual Behavior. II: Socio-Psychological Factors  (The Facts) (available online only)
Teens' decisions whether to have sex and whether to protect themselves from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are influenced by many factors. Studies link sexual risk-taking with drug and alcohol use and physical and sexual abuse, while good parent-child relations, academic aspirations, and sports participation can promote sexually healthy decisions by teens.

Adolescent Sexual Health in Europe and the U.S.—Why the Difference? (The Facts) (Order publication - $1.00)
The United States has far worse rates of adolescent pregnancy, birth, abortion, HIV, and STIs than almost all countries in Europe. Advocates for Youth initiated study tours to France, Germany, and the Netherlands to understand the underlying causes behind these difference.

Effective Sex Education (The Facts) (Order publication - $1.00)
Studies have repeatedly shown that comprehensive sex education is effective at assisting young people to make healthy decisions about sex and to adopt healthy sexual behaviors. No abstinence-only-until-marriage program has been shown to help teens delay the initiation of sex or to protect themselves when they do initiate sex. Yet, the U.S. government has spent over one billion dollars supporting abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Adolescents have a fundamental human right to accurate and comprehensive sexual health information – information that could save their lives.

European Approaches to Adolescent Sexual Behavior & Responsibility (Report) (Order publication - $20.00)

Teen birth, abortion, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates in the United States are higher than in most other industrialized countries. For the last two decades, U.S. public health experts have worked to address these problems. One such effort, sponsored by Advocates for Youth and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is the Summer Institute, a six-credit graduate course about adolescent sexuality. In 1998, the Institute initiated an international fact-finding mission to the Netherlands, Germany, and France to explore how these European nations have achieved successful adolescent sexual health indicators. In each country, the participants conducted qualitative, critical analyses of issues which research demonstrates to have an impact on adolescent reproductive and sexual health attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes. This report shares the group’s findings and suggests a course of action toward improving adolescent reproductive and sexual health in the United States.

Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program (Education Program) (Order publication - $60.00)

Advocates for Youth's popular family life education program includes chapters on sexuality, relationships, health, violence prevention, and community responsibility as well as chapters on skills-building, values, self-esteem, parenting, employment preparation, and reducing sexual risk. Packed with interactive exercises, supplemental leaders' resources, participant handouts, and a complete guide to implementation, this resource is appropriate for use in schools and other settings for sexuality/life skills education, HIV prevention education, and pregnancy prevention. For use with youth ages 13-18.

Life Skills Approaches to Improving Youth's Sexual and Reproductive Health (Issues at a Glance) (available online only)
Research demonstrates that possessing life skills may be critical to young people's ability to positively adapt to and deal with the demands and challenges of life. Some programs effectively teach and promote life skills. This paper briefly reviews some of these programs and presents lessons learned from the life skills approach to HIV prevention education. These lessons are also applicable to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health programs for youth.

Science and Success, Second Edition: Sex Education and Other Programs That Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections (Report) (Order publication - $15.00)

Given the need to focus limited prevention resources on effective programs, Advocates for Youth undertook exhaustive reviews of existing research to compile a list of those programs proven effective by rigorous evaluation. Nineteen programs appeared in Science and Success when it was first published in 2003; seven additional programs are included in Science and Success, Second Edition. This document describes each of the programs and provides information about replicating them in your school, community, or health center.

Science and Success in Developing Countries: Holistic Programs That Work to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV & Sexually Transmitted Infections (Report)

Youth in developing countries face significant threats to their health and well-being—threats that include the HIV and AIDS pandemic, high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unintended pregnancies that may result in maternal morbidity and/or mortality. Given the need to focus limited prevention resources on effective programs, Advocates for Youth undertook an exhaustive review to find programs proven effective by rigorous evaluation and identified the 10 highly effective programs highlighted in this document.

There's No Place Like Home … for Sex Education (Education Program) (available online only)
No hay lugar como el hogar … para la educación sexual (available online only)
There's No Place Like Home … consists of reproducible parent newsletters to assist you in your unique role as the primary sexuality educator of your child. Five newsletters are available for every age/grade level, pre-school through grade twelve. Each issue contains relevant, age-specific sexuality information, useful strategies, communication hints, and suggested resources to support you in your efforts.