Abstinence-only education has little to no impact on whether teens have sex or how many sexual partners they have, according to a new government study.

In 2005 and 2006, researchers surveyed 1,209 teens who had completed abstinence-only programs in rural and urban areas and 848 teens in the same communities who had not. The study found that teens in both groups reported practically identical sexual behavior.

Teens who took abstinence-only classes:

• were just as likely as teens in the other group to say they'd chosen not to be sexually active — about half remained abstinent in both groups
• had the same number of sexual partners as the teens who didn't take the classes — about a quarter said they'd had three or more partners and 27% had had one or two
• started having sex, on average, around the same age as those in the other group — 14.9 years old
• had unprotected sex just as often — 21% in both groups said they sometimes or never used a condom

The study, conducted by the nonpartisan research group Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and funded by the federal government, focused on four programs that lasted from 1 to 4 years. On average, the kids were 11 to 12 years old when they entered the programs.

It should be noted that the abstinence education programs involved in the study represent just a few of the first programs established. Hundreds now are offered nationwide. None of the programs studied extended into the later high school years, when teens are more sexually active.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends sex-education programs that address abstinence and birth control. Research has shown that giving kids information about both options doesn't increase their sexual activity. For sexually active teens it promotes and increases the proper use of birth control methods.

What This Means to You

How and when parents talk to their kids about sex is a personal decision. But it's wise to start the conversation before they take classes in school that include sex education.

"The talk" about sex doesn't have to happen in one big summit. Opportunities present themselves from the time kids are very young, when they ask questions that let parents explain certain key concepts.

Answer questions as honestly as you can, keeping your child's age and maturity in mind. If you don't know the answer, it's OK to say that you'll find out and report back. And try to approach discussions about sex like you would any other health topic, not as something dirty or embarrassing, so your child will feel more comfortable coming to you with questions and problems.

If your kids are in sex-education classes in school, talk to the teacher about ways to coordinate discussions at home with the school's lesson plans.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: May 2007

Source: "Impacts of Four Title V, Section 510 Abstinence Education Programs," conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, April 2007.