Progress 04/01/03 to 03/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The results of my research on sexual decision making for adolescents has been presented at three national conferences, and has been published in three papers in peer reviewed journals. I have also shared my findings with various community and religious groups who have an interest in adolescent health and well-being. PARTICIPANTS: Collaborators included: Rochelle Dalla, professor of Child, Youth & Family Studies at the Univerisity of Nebraska; Scott Hall, professor of Child Development & Family Studies at Ball State Unversity; Rachel Barnacle, Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in Lincoln, Nebraska; Greg Benner, professor of Education, University of Washington at Tacoma, and Sam Hardy, professor of Psychology, Brigham Young University. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audience include parents and their adolescent children with concerns, questions and guidance relating to adolescent sexual decision making. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
I have developed an educational program for teaching adolescents (who choose abstinence) about the benefits of abstinence and strategies for maintaining abstinence.
Publications
- Abbott, D. A. (2006). Encouraging abstinence for unmarried adolescents: Identification of risk and protective factors. Journal of the National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences, 30, 11-14.
- Barnacle, R., & Abbott, D. A. (2009, in press). The development and evaluation of a Gottman Based premarital education program: A pilot study. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, Editor Jeffry Larson.
- Abbott, D. A., & Dalla, R. (2009 in press). It's a choice, simple as that: An exploratory investigation of adolescent sexual decision making. Journal of Youth Studies, Editor Andy Furlong.
- Abbott, D.A. (2008, in review). Predicting adolescent sexual abstinence. Psychological Reports, Editor Carol Ammons.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I have been studying unmarried Nebraska adolescents who have chosen to be sexually active or sexually abstinent. I have written four papers on this topic, one that has been published. I have met with the Federal coordinator of abstinence education in Washington D.C. and will be applying for funding for a new study.
PARTICIPANTS: I have contacted the national coordinator of abstinence education for information regarding grants for a new study.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Sex educators in communities, schools, and parent organizations.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: I'm in the process of completing a new study on college students who chose to be sexually abstinent. I'm working with an undergraduate student on the project. We have 12 interview completed and another 28 to finish.
Impacts
I have been asked to speak at a national meeting of grantees of abstinence educations grants in Jan. 2008 on my research and theory regarding sexual abstinence. I am also in the process of doing a study of abstinent college students.
Publications
- Abbott, D. A., & Dalla, R. 2007. It is a choice, simple as that: An exploratory investigation of adolescent sexual decision making. Submitted to Youth & Society, Kathryn Herr, Editor.
- Abbott, D. A., Hall, S., & Benner, G. 2000. An ecological theory of adolescent sexual abstinence. Submitted to Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Roger Levesque, editor.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
I am in the last 18 months of this approved project. Several data sets have been obtained and the data analyzed. One paper has been published and two others are under reviews. I plan to conduct a small qualitative study interviewing a purpose sample of abstinent adolescents. I want to do narrative research project to tell the stories of how several adolescents have maintained abstinence over a period of several yearr, and what the benefits and problems have been with their decisions.
Impacts
My educational materials make it possible for some adolescents, and young adults to be better prepared to decide if premarital sex is appropriate and in their best interests of all concerned including their partners and a possible resulting pregnancy. Adolescent are given useful and specific strategies to stay abstinent if that is their decision.
Publications
- Abbott, D. A. (2006). Encouraging abstinence for unmarried adolescents: Identification of risk and protective factors. Journal of the National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences, 30, 11-14.
- Abbott, D. A., Hardy, S. (2006, in review). Adolescents making choices: reasons for and against premarital sex. Submitted to Journal of Mixed Method Research, Editor Vicki Plano Clark.
- Abbott, D. A., Hardy, S., & Hall. S. (2006, in review). A conceptual model of sexual abstinence, Submitted to Applied Developmental Science, Richard Lerner, Editor.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
All data has been collected and analyzed. Three research papers are currently under review in peer reviewed journals.
Impacts
A theory of teen sexual abstinence is being developed that will be useful to parents, teachers, and sex educators who are interested in encouraging abstinence in unmarried adolescents.
Publications
- Abbott, D. A., Hardy, S., & Benner, G. (2005, in review). Adolescents making choices: reasons for and against premarital sex. Submitted to Youth & Society, Kathryn Herr, Editor.
- Abbott, D. A., Hardy, S., & Hall. S. (2005, in review). A conceptual model of sexual abstinence, Submitted to Applied Developmental Science, Richard Lerner, Editor.
- Abbott, D. A. (2005, in review). Encouraging sexual abstinence for unmarried adolescents: Identification of risk and protective factors, Research Journal of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, Jan F. Scholl, Editor.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Over 100 adolescents have been surveyed using self-report questionnaires and interviews to determine how they make decisions about premarital sex and what factors (personal, family, or social)influence whether they have premarital sex or remain abstinent. Two manuscripts have been written and submitted for publication. A third paper is being developed that presents guidelines for developing an educational program on sexual decision making for adolescents.
Impacts
A theory of why some unmarried adolescents choose sexual abstinence has been articulated. The conceptual model is being used to design a sexual abstinence educational program for adolescents and their parents.
Publications
- Douglas A. Abbott, Gregory Benner, and Sam Hardy (2004). Abstinent Adolescents: Reasons and Strategies for Avoiding Sexual Intercourse, JS#14776.
- Sam H. Hardy and Douglas A. Abbott (2004). Adolescent Sexual Abstinence: The Mediating Role of Abstinent Attitudes, JS#14755.
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
1. Funding is being sought. One grant submitted to NIH in March 2003 for $250,000 was not funded. 2. Two papers are currently being written using pilot data and both have been submitted to the Society for Research on Adolescence Tenth Biennial Meeting in March, 2004.Predicting Adolescent Sexual Abstinence, and Adolescents' Reasons and Strategies for Avoiding Sexual Intercourse.
Impacts
A theory of why some unmarried adolescents choose sexual abstinence will be articulated, and the theory will be used to design and implement a sexual abstinence educational program.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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