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Article: Pledges to delay sex do not stop STDs: findings put new spin on programs that stress abstinence as only way to avoid infections.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
- Article from:
- Clinical Psychiatry News
- Article date:
- August 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Teens who take a sexual abstinence pledge delay their sexual debut for a few years, but they have just as many sexually transmitted infections as nonpledgers, probably because they are more likely to engage in noncoital sex and aren't as likely to use a condom during any sexual activity.
Hannah Bruckner, Ph.D., and Peter Bearman, Ph.D., said their findings might put a new spin on programs that stress abstinence as the only way to avoid STDs and pregnancy. "The all-or-nothing approach ... may create additional barriers to knowledge and protection for adolescents. For example, the emphasis on virginity may encourage adolescents to limit their sexual activity to ...