Citation

Hubbard BM, Giese ML, Rainey J. J. Sch. Health 1998; 68(6): 243-247.

Affiliation

Dept. of Health Sciences, University of Central Arkansas, Conway 72035, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9719998

Abstract

Reducing the Risk is a theory-based, sexuality education curriculum shown to influence the knowledge and behaviors of secondary students. This study determined whether the behavioral effects of the curriculum could be duplicated in a southern, rural state. In a quasiexperimental design, pretest and posttest inventories were administered to students in treatment and comparison groups to determine the influence of Reducing the Risk on sexual behaviors. Results of the 18-month study indicated students receiving the curriculum significantly delayed initiating sexual intercourse. Sexually active students in the treatment group were significantly more likely to protect themselves from STD/HIV and pregnancy than sexually active students in the comparison group. In addition, students receiving Reducing the Risk showed a significant increase in parent-child communication about sexual issues. These results reinforce previous research that found positive behavioral effects for students receiving the Reducing the Risk curriculum.

Language: en