Field Testing of an Abstinence-Based Sexuality Education Program for Upper Elementary School Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the upper elementary Sex Can Wait curriculum. Specifically, the study examined the effect of the Sex Can Wait curriculum on the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of upper elementary students relative to sexuality. Subjects for the study were fifth and sixth grade students (n=287) from eight different elementary schools that had been recruited to participate in the project. Students from five schools participated in the curriculum taught by teachers who had participated in a special teacher training workshop. Students from the remaining three schools served as controls. Students in both groups were surveyed before and after implementation of the curriculum. Results indicated that students in the curriculum group increased in knowledge, evidenced higher scores on life skills, and reported a more positive attitude toward adolescent sexual abstinence. Findings should be considered by persons interested in educational programs designed to help young people postpone sexual involvement.