A vigorous debate as to which educational approaches
to educating youth about sexual health would be most
effective is ongoing in the U.S., as well as
worldwide. A majority of adults and teens agree that
schools should give teens a strong message that they
should abstain from sex until they are at least out
of high school (National Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy, 2003), yet there is uncertainty as to
whether programs that have a strong abstinence
message are effective in delaying teen sexual
involvement(Hymowitz, 2003; Manlove, Papillo,&
Ikramullah, 2004).
This study compares the effect of an
abstinence-centered sexual health multimedia
presentation based on the Health Beliefs model
emphasizing the consequences of teen sexual behavior
on teens attitudes and intentions with the impact of
a presentation based on a Character Education model
that asserts norms of healthy sexual behaviors. It
also compares the effects of a multimedia program
based on cognitive flexibility theory with the
effects of a multimedia program that utilizes a
traditional instructive, directive approach.
to educating youth about sexual health would be most
effective is ongoing in the U.S., as well as
worldwide. A majority of adults and teens agree that
schools should give teens a strong message that they
should abstain from sex until they are at least out
of high school (National Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy, 2003), yet there is uncertainty as to
whether programs that have a strong abstinence
message are effective in delaying teen sexual
involvement(Hymowitz, 2003; Manlove, Papillo,&
Ikramullah, 2004).
This study compares the effect of an
abstinence-centered sexual health multimedia
presentation based on the Health Beliefs model
emphasizing the consequences of teen sexual behavior
on teens attitudes and intentions with the impact of
a presentation based on a Character Education model
that asserts norms of healthy sexual behaviors. It
also compares the effects of a multimedia program
based on cognitive flexibility theory with the
effects of a multimedia program that utilizes a
traditional instructive, directive approach.