Abstinence Ed. Isn't Slowing Teen Sex

Abstinence-only sex-education courses funded by the federal government are no match for teenage libido, according to a new study from a non-partisan group seeking to reduce teen pregnancy. The study found such programs had less “positive impact” than more comprehensive curricula, the AP reports, and dismissed as myth the idea that teaching about contraceptives increases promiscuity.

The study defined delayed sex, less-frequent sex, and safer sex as positive outcomes; it also found that comprehensive programs increased teens' awareness of the risks of sex. The study comes as Congress considers a bill to provide $141 million for abstinence-only programs. The report’s author wrote some of the studies he reviewed, the AP notes, and works for a company offering recommended programs. (More abstinence education stories.)