Astinence-Only Education?

[denuseri]

It is very important to note that debates about research into the effectiveness of different types of sex education, and criticisms of the extent to which programmes contain factual inaccuracies and are guilty of stereotyping, do not always represent objective attempts to weigh the evidence that these studies have produced.

While the debate between supporters of both approaches has populated these areas of difference it is not in pursuit of a resolution of their differences but rather a definitive answer that suits their moral agenda.

There is no doubt that, whatever evidence is assembled, people who hold particular strong moral views are unlikely to give up supporting their preferred approach regardless of whether it works or whether someone else thinks it presents a distorted picture of the facts.

In April 2007 the results were published of a Congressionally mandated evaluation of federally funded abstinence based programmes in American schools.

The investigation, which looked at four programmes offering a range of settings and strategies, found that rates of abstinence and unprotected sex in students who took part in the programmes were virtually identical to rates among students who had been randomly assigned to not take part.

The ages at first sexual intercourse were also nearly identical, as were the numbers of sexual partners.

It appears that the programmes (abstinence or comprehensive) had no impact on how the students behaved.

With regards to HIV prevention, a systematic review of all relevant studies concluded, "Evidence does not indicate that abstinence only interventions effectively decrease or exacerbate HIV risk among participants in high-income countries; trials suggest that all the programs are ineffective in influencing behavior."

[Thorne]

It appears that the programmes (abstinence or comprehensive) had no impact on how the students behaved.

Not sure why, but this really doesn't surprise me for some reason. Probably because I was once a high school student myself.

[thir]

Not sure why, but this really doesn't surprise me for some reason. Probably because I was once a high school student myself.

Nature is nature ;-)

[leo9]

Not sure why, but this really doesn't surprise me for some reason. Probably because I was once a high school student myself.

I'm reminded of one of Pratchett's wise observations:
"He didn't look around, and watch and learn, and then say, 'This is how people are, how do we deal with it?' No, he sat and thought: 'This is how the people ought to be, how do we change them?'"
It doesn't end well in that story, either.

[Thorne]

It doesn't end well in that story, either.

And THAT doesn't surprise me, either! People don't want to change. They want OTHER people to change, to become more like THEM!

[thir]

With regards to HIV prevention, a systematic review of all relevant studies concluded, "Evidence does not indicate that abstinence only interventions effectively decrease or exacerbate HIV risk among participants in high-income countries; trials suggest that all the programs are ineffective in influencing behavior."

Ouch! That is not good!