The purpose of this paper is to assess the "Choosing The Best" (CTB) program designed in response to meet the dual challenges of addressing the declining health trends among teenagers as well as dispelling any doubts about the effectiveness of the abstinence-only program. To alleviate such misconceptions, a systematic large-scale study was designed to measure the effectiveness of the CTB program. The broad objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Choosing the Best (CTB) program. The specific objectives were: (1) to develop a scale for measuring attitude related to sexual activity and to assess the reliability and validity of this scale; (2) to evaluate the short-term impact of the CTB program in changing attitude toward sex; (3) to evaluate the long-term impact of the CTB program in changing attitude toward sex; and (4) to identify the demographic correlates of attitude toward sex. The CTB program is administered to a sample of 1425 eighth grade students in ten schools employing longitudinal cum multiple cross-sectional research designs. A 12-item scale was developed with satisfactory reliability and validity. Results indicate that the CTB program had both a short- and long-term positive effect in changing attitude toward teenage sexual activity. Several demographic correlates of attitude toward sex were further identified. This study provides encouraging support for the effectiveness of the abstinence-only program, in general, and the CTB program, in particular. See WWW.dupree.gatech.edu/faculty/nmalhotra.html
Learning Objectives: (1) to develop a scale for measuring attitude related to sexual activity and to assess the reliability and validity of this scale; (2) to evaluate the short-term impact of the CTB program in changing attitude toward sex; (3) to evaluate the long-term impact of the CTB program in changing attitude toward sex; and (4) to identify the demographic correlates of attitude toward sex
Keywords: Sexual Risk Behavior, Adolescent Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.