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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
4287.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 6

Abstract #110968

An exploration of an interactive abstinence education curriculum among urban students in public and parochial schools

Joseph Donnelly, PhD1, Kathy DiFiore, MBA2, and Lisa Mathern, MA, CHES1. (1) Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, College Hall, Room 301, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043, 973-655-7119, donnellyj@mail.montclair.edu, (2) Several Sources Foundation, 300 Airmount Avenue, Ramsey, NJ 07446

Objectives: To examine the impact of an abstinence education program which featured an innovative CD ROM game on sexual knowledge, attitudes, and intentions of students attending public and parochial schools.

Methods: The project provided The Choice Game™, a 9-session, interactive abstinence curriculum to urban 9th grade students (983 treatment; 201 control). Gain scores for each group was compared pre to post on six subscales: (a) decision-making skills, (b) parental communication, (c) behavioral intentions, (d) attitudes toward abstinence, (e) locus of control, and (f) knowledge.

Results: Students from both public and parochial schools evidenced greater intent to be sexually abstinent until marriage than did students in the control group (p<.001). Positive changes in attitude and knowledge in favor of curriculum students were also noted.

Conclusions: This curriculum intervention produced significant positive changes in abstinence attitudes and intent among both public school and parochial school students. These findings support the use of interactive technology as a means of teaching abstinence education.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Interactive, Urban Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF grants. Currently, I am serving as the Project Evaluator for Several Sources Foundation which has produced "The Choice Game" curriculum.

School Health Posters: Innovative Programs and School Health Services

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA