ERIC Number: EJ1455431
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: EISSN-1746-1561
Racial Disparities in a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program: Abstinence-Only versus a Comprehensive Sexuality Education Program
Breanca Merritt; Jennifer Green; Louisiana Montserrat Sanchez; Janene Fluhr; Roy F. Oman
Journal of School Health, v94 n12 p1164-1173 2024
Background: Despite overall declines in risky teen sexual activity, racial and ethnic disparities persist. This study compared abstinence-only and comprehensive teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programs to explore the effects of the programs on teen sexual activity-related outcomes that may differ by race/ethnicity. Methods: Program evaluation data were collected from 7th-grade students in comprehensive (N = 3244) and abstinence-only (N = 3172) TPP programs. Differences between outcomes by TPP program were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression for each racial/ethnic group. Results: Black and Hispanic students were significantly less likely to indicate positive attitudes, intentions, and behaviors at baseline. Only white students significantly improved in both programs from pre- to post-assessment. Native American students in the abstinence-only program were significantly less likely than Native American students in the comprehensive sexuality programming to improve from pre- to post-assessment regarding male sexuality, refusal skills, sex and teen norms, and sexual abstinence. Conclusions: The findings suggest that youth of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds do not enter TPP programs with similar attitudes, intentions, or behavior regarding appropriate sexual behavior and that the impact of such programs also may vary by race and ethnicity.
Descriptors: Pregnancy, Prevention, Sexuality, Sex Education, Program Effectiveness, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Grade 7, Early Adolescents, African American Students, Hispanic American Students, American Indian Students, White Students, Student Attitudes, Intention
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A