Legislation Conference. PUB TYPE Reports General (140)

In the quest to establish public programs for reducing pregnancy, childbearing, and sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents, much attention has been given to family life education as a piece of the prevention paradigm. Research has shown that family life education that includes accurate and age-appropriate information will increase young people's knowledge about human sexuality: Its effects on attitudes and behaviors, however, depends largely on how, by whom, and for how long the curriculum is taught. For states and communities interested in implementing a family life education program that will help adolescents synthesize that knowledge into appropriate skills and behaviors, the literature provides a number of elements essential to any school-based effort: (1) build on an abstinence base; (2) include information on pregnancy prevention; (3) build skills to say no to sexual activity o