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Abstinence Vows Don't Work: Study

Teens who pledge purity still do it, and they use protection less

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 29, 2008 4:07 PM CST

(Newser) – Taking an abstinence pledge made teenagers no less likely to have sex before marriage but significantly less likely to use contraceptives when they did have sex, the Washington Post reports. “Previous studies would compare a mixture of apples and oranges,” said Janet Rosenbaum, the author of a new study that sought to weed out the demographic differences in other, similar studies. “I tried to pull out the apples.”

“Somebody who decides to take a virginity pledge tends to be different from the average American teenager,” Rosenbaum said. So she identified non-pledgers who were similar to the pledgers based on 100 variables, including their attitudes toward sex. The result? Both groups had sex before marriage at the same rate, but pledgers were 10% less likely to use protection.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (2)]

Abstinence pledgers are no more likely to abstain than non-pledgers, according to a new study. (Shutterstock)

Signing an abstinence pledge doesn't mean much, according to a new study, but those who do it are less likely to use protection if they do have sex. (Shutterstock)

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It seems that pledgers aren't really internalizing the pledge. It seems like abstinence has to come from an individual conviction rather than participating in a program. - Janet E. Rosenbaum, author of the report.

It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted, and inaccurate analysis.
- Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Guest

Sep 14, 2009 2:36 AM CDT

Lets stop letting the government raise these kids. Get off your asses and talk to your kids! It won't kill you and it can save them. Whether you want kids to abstain, be smart, or explore their sexuality prepare them. If you expect them to abstain.. God bless you... but at least give them straight facts and figures and use reason not scare tactics to teach your kids.

Shannonals

Jan 2, 2009 5:35 AM CST

Best comment I've read all day Newseer001, "TALK to your children. Don't be naive." So many parents expect their children to do the right thing, but they can't if you don't explian to them what the right thing is

Newser001

Dec 29, 2008 11:38 PM CST

Example: As devout as the Palin family claimed to be... You can't program your child, regarding sex. You can only advise, confide, and discuss... birth control options... and then... pray. It didn't work for Palin's nor the Johnson's (well forget the Johnson's). Those who are isolated, kept from society, seem to have a disproportional dysfunctional teen, and adult lives. Justme, it just doesn't work that way. The human factor kicks in. Look at Society, TV, Films, Styles, Music, etc... Sex is everywhere in a teens life. Look at the average teen sex statistics, not pregnancy rates. If you think it can't happen to you... TALK to your children. Don't be naive.

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Abstinence Vows Don't Work: Study