Two health education programs illustrating different ways to engage youth from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds in positive youth development lessons and activities are described for practitioners in schools and community agencies. Both programs were developed in collaborative efforts between public school health teachers and community organizations and resulted in abstinence education curricula suitable for use in either schools or community agencies. Both programs were effective with youth from different racial and ethnic backgrounds in promoting setting wholesome personal goals, developing prosocial and healthy relationships, and avoiding risky behaviors such as premature sexual activity or abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs. Federal programs designed to prevent teen pregnancy facilitated the development and evaluation of both programs. ESTEEM was developed in Texas at the Longview Wellness Center and FACTS was developed in Oregon by Northwest Family Services.
KeywordsHealth EducationTeaching MethodsRacial and Ethnic DiversityTeen Pregnancy Prevention
Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Hamilton, S. F., & Sesma Jr., A. (2006). Positive youth development: Theory, research, and applications. In R. M. Lerner, & W. Damon, (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (6th ed.): Vol. 1, Theoretical models of human development. (pp. 894-941). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Brown, S. S., & Eisenberg, L. (1995). The best intentions: Unintended pregnancy and the well-being of children and families. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
Carter-Jessop, L., Franklin, L. N., Heath, J. W., Jimenez-Irizarry, G., & Peace, M. D. (2000). Abstinence education for urban youth. Journal of Community Health, 25, 293-304. doi:10.1023/A:1005160326267
Catalano, R. F., Berglund, M. L., Ryan, J. A. M., Lonczak, H. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (1998). Defining and evaluating positive youth development. In Positive youth development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of positive youth development programs. URL (last checked on 5 June 2011) http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/PositiveYouthDev99/chapter2.htm
Cokler, A. L., Richter, D. L., Valois, R. P., & McKeown, R. F., Garrison, C. Z., Vincent, M. I. (1994). Correlates and consequences of early initiation of sexual intercourse. Journal of School Health, 64, 372-377. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.1994.tb06208.x
East Texas Abstinence Program. (2006a). EQUIP. Longview, TX: Author.
East Texas Abstinence Program. (2006b). ESTEEM: Encouraging students to embrace excellent marriage. Longview, TX: Longview Wellness Center.
Fuller, R., & Asato, A. (1998). I’m in charge of the facts. Portland, OR: Northwest Family Services.
Fuller, R. & Bankston, C. (2002). Peer leader training: A Youth Solutions manual. Portland, OR: Northwest Family Services.
Fuller, R., Denman, H., & McLaughlin, J. (1997). How to teach the facts of life. Portland, OR: Northwest Family Services.
Fuller, R., & McLaughlin, J. (1998). Family accountability: Communicating teen sexuality (FACTS). Portland, OR: Northwest Family Service.
Fuller, R., McLaughlin, J., Monahan, P., Bankston, C., Hayes-Barba, R., Taylor, R., Fuller, S. (2000a). Facts and friends. Portland, OR: Northwest Family Service.
Fuller, R., McLaughlin, J., Monahan, P., Bankston, C., Taylor, R., Fuller, S. (2000b). Facts about me. Portland, OR: Northwest Family Service.
Fuller, R., & Tobin, T. J. (2005, November 3). Northwest Family Services’ Youth Solutions: A comparison of brief and intensive abstinence education interventions. Poster presented at the Abstinence Education Evaluation Conference hosted by the Office of Population Affairs and co-sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families, Baltimore.
Genuis, S.J. & Genuis, S.K. (2004). Managing the sexually transmitted disease pandemic: A time for reevaluation. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 191, 1103-1112. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2004.03.019
Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. (2003). Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. American Psychologist, 58, 466- 474. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.58.6-7.466
Guilamo-Ramos, V., Jaccard, J., Dittus, P., Gonzalez, B., & Bouris, A. (2008). A conceptual framework for the analysis of risk and problem behaviors: The case of adolescent sexual behavior. Social Work Research, 32, 29-45.
James, S., Montgomery, S. B., Leslie, L. K., & Zhang, J. (2009). Sexual risk behaviors among youth in the child welfare system. Children and Youth Services, 31, 1127-1134.
Jemmott, J. B., Jemmott, L. S., and Fong, G. T. (2010). Efficacy of a theory-based abstinence-only intervention over 24 months: A randomized controlled trial with young adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 164, 152-159. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.267
Manlove, J. (1998). The influence of high school dropout and school disengagement on the risk of school-age pregnancy. Journal of Research on Adolescents, 8, 187-220. doi:10.1207/s15327795jra0802_2
Mohn, J. K., Tingle, L. R., & Finger, R. (2003). An analysis of the causes of the decline in nonmarital birth and pregnancy rates for teens from 1991 to 1995. Adolescent and Family Health, 31, 39-47.
O’Donnell, L., O’Donnell C. R., & Stueve, A. (2001). Early sexual initiation and subsequent sex-related risk among urban minority youth: The Reach for Health Study. Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 268-275.
Romeo, K. E., & Kelly, M. A. (2009). Incorporating human sexuality content into a positive youth development framework: Implications for community prevention. Children and Youth Services, 31, 1001-1009. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.04.015
Tobin, T. J. (2000). 1999-2000 Northwest Family Services’ Youth Solutions: FACTS and Promises. Evaluation Report to the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Eugene, University of Oregon.
Tobin, T. J. (2001). 2000-2001 Northwest Family Services’ Youth Solutions: FACTS and Promises. Evaluation Report to the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Eugene, University of Oregon.
Tobin, T. J. (2002). East Texas abstinence program, evaluation report, 2001-2002. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon.
Tobin, T. J. (2003). East Texas abstinence program, evaluation report, 2002-2002. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon.
Tobin, T. J. (2007). East Texas Abstinence Program Evaluation Report: 2006-2007. Report submitted to the Administration for Children and Families’ Community-Based Abstinence Education Programs. Eugene, University of Oregon, College of Education.
Tobin, T. J., & Sánchez, F. J. (2007). Community programs for Latino families and school programs for all students: Effects on attitudes and skills that support abstinence. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual Abstinence Education Evaluation Conference hosted by the Office of Population Affairs and co-sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families, Baltimore. URL (last checked on June 5, 2011) http://www.ent-s-t.com/ESTOPA/presentations/Tobin.pdf
Tobin, T. J., & Sugai, G. (1998). Northwest Family Services’ Youth Solutions: FACTS and Promises. 1997-1998 Evaluation Report to the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Eugene, University of Oregon.
Tobin, T. J., & Sugai, G. (1999). Northwest Family Services’ Youth Solutions: FACTS and Promises. 1998-1999 Evaluation Report to the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Eugene, University of Oregon.
Vincent, C. G., Xue, L., Tobin, T. J., & Fuller, R. (2010). A psychometric evaluation of the youth surveys used in the Oregon youth development project. Eugene: University of Oregon, College of Education, Educational and Community Supports.
Weed, S. E. (1993). FACTS project year-end evaluation report, 1992- 1993. Unpublished manuscript prepared for the U. S. Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Kearns, UT: The Institute for Research and Evaluation.
Weed, S. E. (1995). FACTS project year-end evaluation report, 1993-1994. Unpublished manuscript prepared for the U. S. Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs. Kearns, UT: The Institute for Research and Evaluation.
Weed, S. E., Ericksen, I. H., Lewis, A., Grant, G. E., & Wibberly, K. H. (2008). An abstinence program's impact on cognitive mediators and sexual initiation. American Journal of Health Behavior, 32, 60-73.