Abstinence and Teens

The Public Supports Abstinence!

Teens and adults support the abstinence message. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy reports that 94 percent of teens and 91 percent of adults believe that teens should be given a strong message from society that they should not have sex until they are at least out of high school. This support has remained high (90 percent or better) in every National Campaign Survey conducted since 1997. Abstinence education programs funded through the Department of Health and Human Services teach the importance of student abstinence from sexual activity until marriage and emphasize that the best life outcomes are more likely obtained if an individual abstains until marriage.

Abstinence is the healthiest choice for teens. Abstinence education aims to build self-esteem and teaches techniques that will assist youth in building skills to make and follow through on healthy decisions. Developing self-discipline and self-awareness, establishing goal setting behaviors, setting boundaries, and enhancing self efficacy are components of abstinence education curricula. Abstinence education also helps teens understand healthy relationships and aspire to healthy marriages. It teaches that mutual faithfulness, intimacy and commitment within marriage can lead to increased human happiness.

Teen sexual activity may have harmful psychological and physical effects and abstinence can help youth to avoid these. Teen sexual activity is associated with decreased school completion, decreased educational attainment, and decreased income potential. Sexually active teens are also associated with potential psychological effects; such as depression and suicide.

Abstinence education teaches the potential beneficial effects of marriage to the well-being of adults and society. Some of the multi-faceted benefits of healthy marriage to our society include; increased life span, higher standards of living, and higher levels of sexual satisfaction. The delay of initiation of sexual activity until marriage can improve life outcomes, financial well-being and marital stability.