News Release

Interim Report Shows Some Success of Abstinence Education Programs

HHS today announced first-year findings showing that students participating in abstinence education programs have a more positive view toward abstinence than students not participating. The information was released in an interim report of an evaluation designed to measure the impacts of a select set of abstinence education programs.

"Students who are in these programs are recognizing that abstinence is a positive choice," HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Michael O�Grady said. "Abstinence education programs that help our young people address issues of healthy relationships, self-esteem, decision-making, and effective communications are important to keeping them healthy and safe. We need to build the scientific knowledge base on abstinence education programs, so we know what works and what needs improvement."

The report released today, was prepared by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., under contract to the department. It is part of a longitudinal study that follows youth participating in four abstinence education programs over five years. The programs are in Miami, Florida; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Clarksdale, Mississippi; and Powhatan County, Virginia.

The report provides a snapshot of attitudinal measures after the first year of participation in abstinence programs. The study does not have findings yet on the overall effectiveness of the programs in promoting abstinence or reducing the risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Because students surveyed are young in age, future reports will be instrumental in determining the longer-term impact of these programs on behaviors, as students begin to contemplate and/or engage in sexual activity. A future report, drawing on additional waves of data collection will examine the longer-term effects of participation in the programs.

Abstinence education programs were authorized as part of welfare reform enacted in 1996 under Title V, Section 510, of the Social Security Act. The federal government and states have funded them since 1998, with up to $50 million per year available from the federal government and up to another $37.5 million available from states. The programs teach that abstinence from sexual activity as an unmarried person is the "only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and other associated health problems."

First year findings include:

• Students in abstinence education programs were more supportive of abstinence and less supportive of teen sex than students not in the programs.
• Students in abstinence education programs had an increased awareness of the possible consequences of teen and nonmarital sex.
• Youth in both the experimental and control groups reported similar scores in areas such as support for marriage, self image, perceptions of peer pressure to have sex, and friends support for abstinence.

"We look forward to continuing the work of this important study," Assistant Secretary O'Grady said. "As we continue to assemble the scientific data, we can begin to pull together best practices for policymakers, educators, and family members alike."

The report is available at http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/05/abstinence/.