Back to Search Start Over

Effects of Church-Based Parent-Child Abstinence-Only Interventions on Adolescents' Sexual Behaviors.

Authors :
Jemmott LS
Jemmott JB 3rd
Icard LD
Hsu J
Source :
The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine [J Adolesc Health] 2020 Jan; Vol. 66 (1), pp. 107-114. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Oct 17.
Publication Year :
2020

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of faith-based and nonfaith-based parent-child abstinence-only interventions in reducing sexual risk behavior among young African American adolescents.<br />Methods: Randomized controlled trial recruiting 613 African American parent-adolescent dyads from urban African American Baptist churches and randomizing them to one of three parent-child interventions: faith-based abstinence-only intervention emphasizing delaying or reducing sexual intercourse drawing on Biblical scriptures; nonfaith-based abstinence-only emphasizing intervention delaying or reducing sexual intercourse without referencing scriptures; or attention-matched control intervention targeting health issues unrelated to sexual behavior. Primary outcome was the self-reported frequency of condomless sexual intercourse in the past 3 months assessed periodically through 18 months postintervention. Secondary outcomes were frequency of sexual intercourse, number of sexual partners, consistent condom use and, among sexually inexperienced adolescents, sexual debut.<br />Results: Generalized estimating equations analyses revealed that nonfaith-based abstinence-only intervention reduced the frequency of condomless sexual intercourse, frequency of sexual intercourse, and number of sexual partners compared with the attention-matched control intervention, whereas faith-based abstinence-only intervention did not. Neither intervention affected consistent condom use or sexual debut.<br />Conclusions: Parent-child abstinence-only interventions can reduce condomless sexual intercourse among young African American adolescents in church settings. Linking the abstinence message to Biblical scriptures may not be efficacious.<br /> (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1879-1972
Volume :
66
Issue :
1
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
31630923
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.07.021