A Cautionary Tale about Conducting Research on Abstinence Education: How Do State Abstinence Coordinators Define “Sexual Activity?”

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine how the state coordinators of abstinence education programs defined the term “sexual activity.” A questionnaire was mailed to Title V abstinence education coordinators in each of the 50 states, Washington DC, and the three territories receiving these federal funds (n=54). In addition to demographic data, the questionnaire asked the respondent to indicate whether or not the state/territory had established definitions of the term “sexual activity” and, if so, to identify what those definitions were. In addition we asked respondents to indicate whether selected behaviors constituted sexual activity. Seventeen coordinators (31.5%) provided at least partial responses to the survey. Of the states that responded, none indicated that his or her state had a definition of sexual activity. The participation rate in the study by abstinence coordinators was not high, but the questionnaire did elicit much reaction. This included efforts by individuals and organizations to interfere with the conduct of the study and efforts by university officials to have the Institutional Review Board's approval of the study withdrawn. The response to the study should serve as a cautionary tale to potential abstinence education researchers.