Effectiveness of abstinence-only intervention in middle school teens.
OBJECTIVE
To examine effectiveness of abstinence-until-marriage curriculum on knowledge, beliefs, efficacy, intentions, and behavior.


METHODS
Nonrandomized control trial involving 2069 middle school students with a 5-month follow-up.


RESULTS
Intervention students reported increases in knowledge and abstinence beliefs, but decreases in intentions to have sex and to use condoms. Intervention did not influence sexual initiation or condom use; however, intervention students who had sex during the evaluation period reported fewer sexual episodes and fewer partners than did controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Abstinence-until-marriage interventions can influence knowledge, beliefs, and intentions, and among sexually experienced students, may reduce the prevalence of casual sex. Reduction in condom use intentions merits further study to determine long-term implications.
Borawski
Elaine A
EA
Center for Health Promotion Research, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. exb11@cwru.edu
Trapl
Erika S
ES
Lovegreen
Loren D
LD
Colabianchi
Natalie
N
Block
Tonya
T
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*