An abstinence program's impact on cognitive mediators and sexual initiation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of an abstinence education program on sexual intercourse initiation and on possible cognitive mediators of sexual initiation for virgin seventh graders in suburban Virginia.


METHODS
Measures of sexual behavior and 6 mediating variables were compared at 3 time periods for program participants and a matched comparison group (n=550), controlling for pretest differences.


RESULTS
At posttest, program students scored significantly better on 4 of the 6 mediators. After one year, program students had a substantially lower risk of sexual initiation than did comparison students (RR=.457, P=.008).


CONCLUSIONS
The program achieved a significant reduction in teen sexual initiation, and the role of the cognitive mediators was supported.
Weed
Stan E
SE
Institute for Research and Evaluation, Salt Lake City, UT 84118, USA. weedstan@aol.com
Ericksen
Irene H
IH
Lewis
Allen
A
Grant
Gale E
GE
Wibberly
Kathy H
KH
D000293:Adolescent; D003071:Cognition; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014768:Virginia