Wouldn't some type of ethical problem exist with such a randomization?
I think the problem lies in the fabric of our culture, and these programs are like so many threadbare patches. There was research recently (I am travelling and cannot find it) that suggests that nothing really makes a difference - at least in terms of promoting prevention of pregnancy and disease. I suspect (nothing scientific about this) that as long as our culture promotes a "pornographic" attitude toward sexuality (portraying it graphically and commericallly yet suppressing any attempt to discuss it openly and constructively), as long as parents and communities either refuse to discuss it or are ill-equipped to discuss it with children, we will continue to have this problem. Adults approach this mostly thoughtlessly, and our children are likely to follow in our footsteps. They are only as good as we are, and we are rarely as good as we imagine ourselves to be. Abstinence education is the more ineffective of two (apparently) ineffective approaches. Puberty comes along (as someone wrote) with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the forehead, telling kids not to have sex at all is just sex-negative silliness...(delay to the late teens, more achievable perhaps and I am all for it for practical and heatlh related reasons). Puberty occurs earlier than ever, and marriage much later - this is not our kids' fault. But even in Jane Austen's day, when puberty was later and marriage earlier, most brides were pregnant at the altar (easily verified by looking at church registries and birth records). The good old days of "sexual innocence" is just one more popular myth. It would be better for public health if the pragmatic and realistic view, as opposed to the ideological, drove our policies on this matter. Nancy Melucci Long Beach City College Long Beach CA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) <[email protected]> Sent: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 10:21 am Subject: [tips] Abstinence pledges Interesting report of an evaluation of the abstinence pledge programme in _ The Washington Post_ today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122801588.html\\ or http://tinyurl.com/9cchth The headline: "Premarital Abstinence Pledges Ineffective Study Finds Teenagers Who Make Such Promises Are Just as Likely to Have Sex, and Less Likely to Use Protection, the Data Indicate" But a spokesperson for the National Abstinence Education Association disputed the finding, claiming "It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted and inaccurate analysis regarding the content of abstinence education programs". A critical question concerns the make-up of any control or contrast group, as those taking the virginity pledge undoubtedly differ in significant ways from those not, especially concerning attitudes towards sex and propensity for sexual behaviour (although the findings seem to indicate otherwise). I'd say that what is needed is to randomize teens to either an abstinence- only programme, or to a programme providing sex ed, and let the pregnancies fall where they may. Does any such research exist? Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus Bishop's University e-mail: [email protected] 2600 College St. Sherbrooke QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Subscribe to discussion list (TIPS) for the teaching of psychology at http://flightline.highline.edu/sfrantz/tips/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
