Teen pregnancy is a complex problem, one that has no single cause or cure. It is a result of youth taking risks in their lives. There is no one thing that we can do to fix the problem—no simple answer. Communities must do lots of things to prevent teen pregnancy.
Programs:
There have been lots of research studies to find out what programs actually make a difference in the behavior of youth—and in teen pregnancy rates. Several Sex/HIV Education programs have been demonstrated to reduce risky behavior among teens, and several help teens to delay sexual involvement. Some clinic-based programs can increase contraceptive use among sexually active teens. Youth development programs are designed to improve education, life skills, and employment options. The Teen Outreach Program, a youth development program where teens learn through community service, has been particularly effective. The Children’s Aid Society-Carrera program reduced pregnancy rates by combining youth development, sex education, health services, and other components. So far, abstinence-only programs have not shown effectiveness, but it is early in their development. Few programs for parents have been studied, and none—so far—has been found to change teen behavior.
Assets:
The chances of teen pregnancy—and teen sexual activity—can be reduced by providing youth with lots of the good things—the "assets"—that help them develop resilience and make healthy and responsible choices for themselves. A list of 40 important developmental assets for youth can be found at the Search Institute website: www.search-institute.org/assets/forty.htm.
Norms and Connections:
Current thinking is that norms and connections may explain a lot of what helps to prevent teen pregnancy. Teen behavior is influenced both by the social norms of a group or individual, and by the teen’s degree of feeling connected to that group or individual. For example, a teen’s group of friends (peers) may consider it preferable to wait to have sex until they are married. The group’s influence on a teen will depend on how connected the teen feels to the group. Teens are exposed to norms from many influences: their family, their peers, their partners, their teachers, and their community. Some of the effectiveness of teen pregnancy prevention programs may be that teens feel connected to the group leader, who expresses healthy norms.
We still have a lot to learn about how to prevent teen pregnancy, and research is ongoing. But we already know that there are effective programs to use, and that we can build the "assets" that young people have in their lives. As parents, neighbors, friends, teachers, and community members, we can help teens know they have a bright future—and good reasons to wait to have sex and babies.
References:
Kirby D. Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy. Washington, D.C.: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2001.
Benson PL, Scales PC, Leffert N, Roehlkepartain EC. A Fragile Foundation: The state of developmental assets among American youth. Minneapolis: Search Institute, 1999.
Kirby D. Understanding What Works and What Doesn’t In Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk-Taking. Family Planning Perspectives 2001;33:276-81.
