Frequency of sex after an intervention to decrease sexual risk‐taking among African‐American adolescent girls: results of a randomized, controlled clinical trial

Abstract

Many controversies surround sex education in the United States. One particular issue of contention is whether comprehensive sexuality education increases frequency of sexual intercourse among program participants. The current investigation examined frequency of vaginal sexual intercourse in a sample of 522 sexually experienced African‐American adolescent females between the ages of 14 and 18 (mean = 16.0 years, standard deviation = 1.22). Participants were a part of a randomized, controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of a comprehensive sexuality education intervention. Data collection occurred at baseline and at 6‐month and 12‐month follow‐up. Participants were recruited from four community health agencies in the Birmingham, Alabama area. Results indicate no significant differences in the frequency of sex between the HIV intervention group and the general health‐promotion comparison group at any time point: baseline to 6‐month assessment, 6‐month to 12‐month assessment, or over the entire 12‐month follow‐up period. These findings reiterate the value of hierarchical messages in sex education curricula that inform adolescents that abstinence is the most effective way to prevent sexually transmitted disease infection, while encouraging adolescents who choose to have sex to use condoms correctly and consistently, and teaching them the skills to do so.