JESICA BEATTY

That Group

TEENAGE BEHAVIORS
Abstinence & Sex Education

In a 1982 study, one out of five 15-year-olds had already had intercourse,
one-third of 16-year-olds and 43% of 17-year-olds; furthermore, 50% of all
teenagers are sexually active. Even though half of all teenagers are sexually active
only one three, between the ages of 15 and 19 use contraception. Often teens are
sexually active for a year before getting information on contraceptive devices and
are usually misinformed about contraception. Even though a Harris poll showed that
85% of Americans favor sex education, including information on contraceptives, in
the schools, many schools do not have this. Many have sex education, but it doesnt
include information on contraceptives. Sex education effects teenage behavior
whether positively or negatively. In this essay we will discuss the facts about sex
education and the effects it has on teenage behaviors.
Abstinence-only sex education is a form of sex education that teaches
abstinence from sex. It often excludes other types of sexual and reproductive health
education regarding birth control and safe sex. This type promotes abstinence until
marriage and avoids discussion of use of contraceptives. On the other hand,
comprehensive sex education includes age-appropriate, medically accurate
information on topics related to sexuality including human development,
relationships, decision making, abstinence, contraception, and disease prevention.
As of March 1, 2016, 24 States and the District of Columbia require public
schools teach sex education. However, under current federal standards any sex
education program receiving federal funds must conform to abstinence-only
guidelines. This means only mentioning contraception to discuss its failures and
teaching that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have
harmful psychological and physical effects. Katy Vine did an investigation into the
success of sex-education programs in Texas. She found that while Texas receives

$4.5 million a year in federal funding, it is still number one in teenage births. Texas
programs show little to no effect of teens attitude towards sex and show a negative
effect on their rate of contraceptive use. A different evaluation of abstinence-only
programs concluded that some show negative impacts on youths willingness to use
contraception including condoms to prevent STDs. It seems as though these
programs were designed specifically not to work.
A study was conducted over never-married heterosexual adolescents ages
15-19. They participated in a study that compared the sexual health risks of
adolescents who received abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education to
those of adolescents who received no formal sex education. Those who received
comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to have a teenage
pregnancy than those who received no formal sex education; however there was no
significant effect of abstinence-only education. Abstinence-only education did not
reduce the likelihood of sexual activity, but comprehensive sex education was
marginally associated with a lower likelihood of sexual activity. Neither
comprehensive sex education nor abstinence-only reduced the likelihood of
reported sexually transmitted diseases diagnosis. From this we can infer that
comprehensive sex education is more beneficial to teens because those who had it
were less likely to have a teenage pregnancy and showed a lower likelihood of
sexual activity.
According to the studies above, one can infer that comprehensive sex
education has a more positive impact on teenage behaviors. They are more likely to
delay sexual activity and are less likely to have a teenage birth. Whereas with
abstinence-only sex education seems to have no effect on sexual activity and have
a negative impact on the use of contraception and other safe sex practices.

Teens who engage in early sexual activities (12-14 years old) are at a greater
risk for teenage pregnancy as well as STDs. Many of these girls had relationships
with older teens and more than 10% described their first sexual experience as nonvoluntary. With this information we can see that sex education needs to begin as
early as middle school.
50% of all teenagers are sexually active, but only one in three girls between
ages 15-19 use contraceptives. More than one million teenagers become pregnant
each year, 30,000 of which are under the age of 15. About 15% of those teens will
become pregnant again within one year and about 30% within two years. Teenagers
who have children are less likely to complete their education, have diminished
employment prospects and are more likely to rely on public assistance. They have
an increased need for counseling, child protection and child care.

Works Cited

Zornick, G., & Alterman, E. (2011). Abstinence-only sex education programs fail teens

Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex
education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent
Health, 42(4), 344-351. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.026

Cain, M. D. (1986). Magnitude of the teen pregnancy problem - national statistics. Cheyenne, WY:
Wyoming Council for Women's Issues.

Nelms, B. C. (2003). Adolescent sex education: Making it a priority. Journal of Pediatric Health
Care : Official Publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates &
Practitioners, 17(5), 221.