Sex Education Lesson Plan Objectives: Students should know the risky behaviors concerning sexual activity Students should be able to know difference between abstinence only education and comprehensive sex education Students should be able to summarize the examples of abstinence and comprehensive programs By: Dominique Smith

Sex Education Dominique Smith

Sexual Education Young people are engaging in sexual risky behaviors that can lead to unwanted health outcomes such as :  STD  PREGNANCY  EMOTIONAL DISTRESS  RAPE

Findings Based on national high school survey conducted by the center for disease control and prevention:  47.4% had ever had sexual intercourse  33.7% had had sexual intercourse during the previous 3 months, and, of these: 39.8% did not use a condom the last time they had sex 76.7% did not use birth control pills or Depo-Provera to prevent pregnancy the last time they had sex  15.3% had had sex with four or more people during their life

Findings  An estimated 8,300 young people aged 13–24 years in the 40 states reporting to CDC had HIV infection in 2009  Nearly half of the 19 million new STDs each year are among young people aged 15–24 years  More than 400,000 teen girls aged 15–19 years gave birth in 2009

Abstinence Only Sex Education Abstinence Only Sex Education : is a form of sex education that teaches:  to abstain from having sex  usually exclude other forms of sexual and reproductive health education.  promotes sexual abstinence until marriage and avoids discussion of use of contraceptives

Comprehensive sex education Comprehensive sex education: is a form of sex education that teaches:  about condoms and contraception to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and of infection with STDs, including HIV  teaches about abstinence as the best method for avoiding STDs and unintended pregnancy  helps young people explore their own values, goals, and options.

Discussion Have you ever participated in either a abstinence sex education program or a comprehensive sex education prevention program? If so what was your experience? If not describe what sex education in high school was like for you? In your opinion did it work? Did you learn anything that you still remember today? Which method do you think is more effective? Abstinence or comprehensive sex education.

The On-going Debate Abstinence programs argue that:  their program allows youth to avoid the risks of unwanted pregnancy & (STDs)  using condoms or other forms of contraception simply reduces these risks.  comprehensive sex education programs send mixed messages about behavior to youth  Comprehensive programs confuses adolescents Comprehensive programs argue that:  they emphasize both abstinence and the use of contraceptives for sexually active youth  programs can both delay adolescents initiation of sex and increase condom or other contraceptive use.  They have a greater impact on rates of unwanted pregnancy STDs among youth than abstinence programs  That a message about both abstinence and contraceptive use is not confusing to teens, it is more acceptable to them

Results of Studies Evaluating Abstinence or Comprehensive Sex and STD/HIV Education Programs Nine Abstinence Programs and 48 comprehensive programs evaluated: by Douglas Kirby Two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive sex education programs studied had positive effects. 40 percent delayed sexual initiation, reduced the number of sexual partners, or increased condom or contraceptive use. 30 percent reduced the frequency of sex, including a return to abstinence. 60 percent reduced unprotected sex

Advocates for youth: Research and Results Abstinence Sex Education A congressionally mandated study of four popular abstinence-only programs by the Mathematica found:  Students who participated in the programs were no more likely to abstain from sex than other students  Evaluations of publicly funded abstinence-only programs in at least 13 states have shown no positive changes in sexual behaviors over time.  No abstinence-only program has yet been proven through rigorous evaluation to help youth:  delay sex for a significant period of time,  help youth decrease their number of sex partners,  reduce STI or pregnancy rates among teens

Advocates for youth: Research and Results National Survey of Family Growth found that young people ages 15-19, who received comprehensive sex education :  50 % less likely to experience pregnancy than those who received abstinence-only education. Research clearly shows that:  comprehensive sex education programs do not encourage teens to start having sexual intercourse  do not increase the frequency with which teens have intercourse  do not increase the number of a teen's sexual partners. Comprehensive sex education

Sex Education Programs

What Makes Sex Education Programs Successful? 1) focus on specific behavioral goals 2) are based on theoretical approaches 3) deliver clear messages about sexual activity and/or contraceptive use 4) provide basic information about risks associated with teen sexual activity and methods to avoid pregnancy or STDs 5) address social pressures toward having sex

What Makes Sex Education Program Successful? 6) provide activities to practice communication and refusal skills 7) incorporate multiple teaching methods and personalize information to individual needs 8) tailored to participants’ age-level, culture, and level of sexual experience 9) are long enough to cover all information and activities 10) provide appropriate training for teachers or peer leaders who are committed to the program. SOURCE: (KIRBY, 2001)

Sex Education prevention program: Sex Respect, Teen-Aid, and Values and Choices Program Description: Setting: held in three high schools and five junior high schools in three Utah school districts Length of program: The programs ran through one school year. Population : Sex Respect and Teen-Aid served seventh and tenth graders. Values and Choices served eighth graders more than half were females. Ninety percent of participants were white 3% were Latino, and 7% were of other racial or ethnic backgrounds. Goal : All three programs sought to postpone sexual initiation. Taught by trained teachers in the school district.

Sex Education prevention program: Sex Respect, Teen-Aid, and Values and Choices Sex Respect and Teen Aid promoted abstinence until marriage Students learned how to remain abstinent Values and Choices taught participants about sexual health so that youth would be able to make responsible, well-informed decisions about their personal behavior. The program discussed abstinence as one of several choices for teens Results: Among Junior high school students no differences were found regarding sexual initiation.

Results continued… Among High school students 22 % program group with “low-to medium-levels of sexual values” had sex for the first time 37% of control group teens with the same level of “sexual values.” had sex for the first time 17% program group with “low future orientation” were less likely to have had first sex one year after the program 26% of control group with “low future orientation” were less likely to have first sex one year after program No differences were found between the program and comparison groups regarding rates of sexual initiation by: gender, religiosity, dating involvement peer pressure

Sex Education prevention program: Healthy For Life Program description Setting: Held in a classroom setting in Wisconsin middle schools. A trained Healthy for Life teacher taught the curriculum with a teacher from the participating school. Length of program: one took place over a 12-week period during the seventh grade school year one took place in 4-week components across the sixth – eight grade school year Population: 48% males 52% female 96% white 4% other ethnicities Goal: to provide teens with social skills that would help them resist peer pressure to do things that would put their health at risk.

Sex Education prevention program: Healthy For Life The sex education classes included lessons on: refusal skills communicating with parents about sex and values body image birth control, risks associated with early sexual activity Peer Section: students selected three leaders in each class, selected students then received training and assisted in teaching the curriculum The family component: encouraged parent-child discussions about sex and other risky health behavior, and assisted families in clarifying their values about these issues. The Community Component: an organization was selected to provide at least one health event during the course of the program, and Healthy for Life community organizers assisted with this event.

Sex Education prevention program: Healthy For Life Results: % students in the experimental group were sexually experienced by the eighth grade compared to 12 percent of control group students There were no differences in sexual initiation at the eighth or ninth grade follow-up. At the tenth grade follow-up: 36 % of all students 33% in the intensive program ( 12 week program) more likely to have sexual intercourse Compared to 28% of control group There were no differences between program groups or the control group regarding condom use.

Assessment 1.All of the following are results outcomes of risky sexual behavior except ? a.STD b.Emotional distress c.Popularity d.Rape e.Pregnancy Answer: C 2. True or false: more than 50% of teens has had sexual intercourse a.True b.False Answer: B 3. Abstinence sex education teaches: a.How to use a condom b.To abstain form sex until marriage c.Where to get STD test Answer: B

Assessment 4. Comprehensive Sex Education teaches: a.Sex is good b.Sex before marriage is bad c.About contraceptive use to reduce pregnancy and STDs Answer: C 5. True or false: comprehensive sex education has shown to be more effective than abstinence sex education a.True b.False Answer: A

Assessment 1. What makes a sex education program successful? Give at least three components of a successful sex education program. Program has to be based on theoretical approaches, provide basic information about risks associated with teen sexual activity and methods to avoid pregnancy or STDs, and also provide appropriate training for teachers who are committed to the program. 2.What research was found to prove that comprehensive sex education is more effective than abstinence programs? The National Survey of Family Growth found that young people ages 15-19, who received comprehensive sex education, were 50 % less likely to experience pregnancy than those who received abstinence-only education. Also that comprehensive programs delay sexual initiation and increase contraceptive use. 3.Provide a description of Healthy for life. Who did it serve, what was their goal? Healthy for Life is a comprehensive sex education program that was set in Wisconsin middle schools. The population was both male and female and majority of participants were white. The goal of Healthy for Life were to provide teens with social skills that would help them resist peer pressure to do things that would put their health at risk.

Assessment 4.Abstinence programs and comprehensive sex education programs are always debating on methods of educating youth. What are some of the arguments that have been brought to attention? Abstinence programs believe that their program allows youth to avoid risky sexual behavior by teaching to abstain from sex until marriage. Also that comprehensive program sends mixed signals about behavior to youth, thereby confusing them. Comprehensive programs argue that their program can delay initiation of sex and increase condom use. Comprehensive programs also argue; that they have a greater impact on rates of STD and unwanted pregnancies. 5.Based on definitions, research, and program examples; which of the two methods do you think is more effective? I believe that the comprehensive programs are more effective because they equip youth with the information that they need in regards to sex. Teens are taught how you properly use protection and educates about various STDs, while promoting abstinence as well. Abstinence programs only advise youth to not have sex, and that waiting to marriage is the right thing to do and all the reasons you should wait, this is a positive message but it is not educating youth. Based on research, abstinence programs have not been proven effective, no abstinence program has been proved to delay initiation of sex, reduce STD, or pregnancy rates.

Reference center for disease control and prevention (2011). Sexual Risk Behavior: HIV, STD, & Teen Pregnancy Prevention. [ONLINE] Available at: [Last Accessed 12 November 2012]. Brigid McKeon (2006). Effective Sex Education. [ONLINE] Available at: [Last Accessed 14 November 2012]. Douglas B. Kirby, (2008). The Impact of Abstinence and Comprehensive Sex and. Sexuality Research and social policy. Vol. 5 (No.3), pp.10 Marcela Howell (2007). The History of Federal Abstinence-Only Funding. [ONLINE] Available at: [Last Accessed 12 November 2011]. Jennifer Manlove Ph.D., (2004). Not Yet: Programs To Delay First Sex Among Teens. The National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (), pp.100