Abstinence-only education program resulted in teens placing a greater value on abstinence and a commitment to practice abstinence until marriage.

• Student surveys administered before and after Navigator Abstinence program demonstrated that the programs changed attitudes and behavioral intentions among teens. The Navigator program is a high school abstinence program that attempts to influence adolescents' attitudes and behaviors towards embracing abstinence from sexual activity until marriage. The program focuses on helping adolescents understand the influences and consequences of sexual activity. The program was effective in giving teens a clearer understanding of abstinence and the consequences of engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage. 72.8% of students agreed that abstinence is "voluntarily choosing not to engage in sexual activity until marriage" before the Navigator program, however 92.3% agreed with the same statement after going through the program. Additionally, before the program, 68% of students recognized that sexual activity can have negative physical, emotional, mental, and social consequences compared with 87.6% that felt the same way after the program. Survey results also demonstrated a statistically-significant increase in the percentage of teens planning to save sexual activity until marriage. Prior to their participation in the Navigator program, 42% of youth reported that they planned to save sexual activity for marriage. Following their participation, 60% of youth reported that they planned to save sexual activity for marriage.¹

¹Lyons, John S., Evaluation of Navigator Abstinence Program, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, June 2006.

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