A seven-month study conducted by MTV and The Associated Press reveals young people find the most happiness in family, religion is important to them, and they see marriage and children in their future.
Newly-released data indicates great news about the nation's children -- girls aged 10-14 -- are not getting pregnant nearly as often as they did just a few years ago. This is further evidence that abstinence programs are having an impact.
The 20s always have been prime time for risky behavior, from binge drinking and unprotected sex to dabbling in drugs and driving too fast. But new brain research suggests young adults may have less control over these impulses.
Marriage is declining, according to the annual “State of our Unions” report. The study from Rutgers' National Marriage Project also shows cohabitation is sharply on the rise.
One in 25 youth who surf the Internet are asked at some point during the year to transmit a sexual picture of themselves, a study to soon be released finds. The research is based on a nationally representative survey, taken in 2005, of 1,500 youth ages 10 to 17. Nearly 10%, or 136, were asked to send photos of themselves; 65 were asked for sexual pictures.
Teen-sex and pregnancy rates are down, according to a recent National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report. Experts say parents should take a closer look at the data to determine what the statistics show and how to keep kids healthy.
According to data recently released by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, more than a third of all U.S. births in 2005 were to unwed women, the highest level ever reported.
According to a recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), some comprehensive sex-education curricula taught in the nation's schools has essentially no impact on behavior. The HHS study found abstinence education programs to be nearly 100 percent accurate.
According to a 2003 study in Child Development, a father's presence in the home, and the duration of that presence, affects the development of adolescent sexual behavior. Within a sample of girls, those who had a father present in the home from birth to age thirteen were the least likely to be sexually active.
New research, to soon be published in the American Journal of Sociology, suggests premarital sex doesn't harm the mental health of teens, except those 15 or younger, whose relationships tend to be less committed.
Adolescents who pledged to remain abstinent were significantly less likely to become sexually active than peers who did not pledge, according to 2001 study published in American Journal of Sociology.
According to a 2004 study of adolescent virgins, household family structure influenced the age of sexual initiation.
Teen sexual activity has decreased dramatically in the US over the past decade, according to reports by official government statistics, and the drop is being linked to the growing use of abstinence programs in schools.
The U.S. Census Bureau released a study indicating parents are monitoring their children's television consumption more often than in the past. This is definitely a step in the right direction, as parental engagement is critical while children begin to define values and develop critical thinking skills.
The Barna Group released a compelling study detailing the attitudes and behaviors related to sexuality of those over 40 years old and those between 20-30. Barna examined 32 factors, including pornography, homosexuality, and extramarital sex, and found the younger generation held looser ideals than their elders. The National Coalition, in response to such studies, continues to educate young people in hopes of influencing their perspective on sexuality.
According to a new study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, teenage pregnancy has decreased by one-third from 1991 to 2004 but the problems remaining continue to be serious. Teen pregnancy in the United States is 4-5 times greater than in Europe, and remains very costly for U.S. taxpayers.
A recent study released in the Journal of Adolescent Health maintains that teen sexual activity is directly linked to parents' religious affiliation. The study found parental religious attendance is associated with delayed sex among all sub-populations except black adolescents. It has been concluded, then, that the family environment strongly dictates teens' attitudes and behaviors about sex.
A recent study conducted by a Florida State University law professor found laws requiring parental consent for abortion actually reduces risky teenage sexual activity. By researching STD statistics and measuring them against parental notification laws, the researchers found STD rates decreased when laws were in effect that required parents to be notified if their daughter was going to receive an abortion.
A recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation confirms media play a large role in children's lives. For example, 83% of children under 6 years of age watch an average of two hours of television per day, often times in the privacy of their own bedrooms. And 30% of families surveyed have the TV on during mealtime. Media continues to invade and influence our lives and parents must monitor what their kids are consuming.
Concerned Women for America's Beverly LaHaye Institute has recently released a study on unwed mothers. Unfortunately, the reasearch indicated that the number of unwed mothers over the age of 20 is on the rise, while the unemployment rate for unwed mothers continues to increase.
A recent study found that 73% of U.S. adults believe viewing pornography is not morally acceptable. The study, conducted by Morality in Media and Harris Interactive, also breaks down the differing opinions based on age, gender, education, socio-economic status, political affiliation, and religion.
A recent study by the University of Washington - Seattle says 70% of women were free of the cancer-causing human papilloma virus (HPV) after three years of consistent condom use. Although the study highlights the 70% effectiveness, it fails to clearly state 30% of women did in fact contract HPV, proving condoms are not always effective.
A recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that men are more likely than women to prefer marriage over singlehood. The 12,000 men and women surveyed, ages 15 - 44, were asked various questions related to marriage, sex, parenting and cohabitation.
A new study has found that child pornography is not considered a crime in many countries. The International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and Interpol, the world's pre-eminent law enforcement organization, released the study last week in Washington, DC. The study found that in 138 countries, the possession of child pornography is not a crime. In 122 countries, there is no law which specifically addresses the distribution of child pornography via computer and the Internet.
A new study conducted by the University of North Carolina revealed that entertainment and news media with high sexual content are fueling the sex life of teenagers. The study reviewed television, movies, music and magazines and concluded that teens are looking to media for information about sex. Unfortunately, as one UNC professor pointed out, media tends to leave out crucial information on commitment, contraception and consequences.
A new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health revealed that teens who watch a high level of sexual content on television are more likely to engage in sexual activity. In addition, the study of over 1,000 children ages 12 to 15 reveals that the media also influences familial relationships between teens and their parents.
Approximately half of adults ages 20-40 are choosing to cohabitate rather than marry, increasing the cohabitation percentage nearly 1,000 percent since 1980.
Studies confirm that children exposed to pornography at young ages are impacted and harmed for years. The Oprah Show highlighted a young boy on a recent episode who went from being an honor roll student and class president to a famous Internet porn star. What started out as an innocent fascination with webcams led to Justin's exploitation by online pedophiles. Parents, please read Justin's story and take heed -- this could happen to your child.
A recent survey found that among Baptist newlyweds in Texas, a single who pledges abstinence will engage in sexual activity less than one who does not take a pledge. The study found that six out of 10 who made sexual purity pledges abstained from sexual intercourse until marriage. But only three of 10 who didn't take a formal pledge remained chaste.
A recent study released by the Pew Internet and American Life Project examined the influence of the Internet on people's lives. The study found that the Internet and email aid users in maintaining their social networks and provides pathways to help when people face big decisions.
A recent Harris Poll showed that a majority of adults under the age of 30 believe abstinence programs are at least somewhat effective in preventing or reducing HIV/AIDS, and about half believe they are at least somewhat effective in preventing or reducing unwanted pregnancies.
Child Trends, in cooperation with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, recently released new data showing teens are less likely to engage in premarital sex before age 18 if their parents hold strong religious beliefs. Parents must realize the great impact they have on their children and educate them on the harms of engaging in risky sexual behavior.
The Kaiser Family Foundation released a new study examining sexual content on television. As predicted, the percentage of TV shows with sexual content has increased, and the number of sexual scenes per show has nearly doubled since 1998. From previous studies we know teens exposed to more sexual content are twice as likely to engage in sexual activity. As this content on TV continues to increase, our youth are placed in greater danger.
A recent study by msnbc.com and Zogby International titled Many in U.S. playing a risky game of sexasked intimate details about personal sex lives to its 56,000 online responders. The study found that while the majority of people surveyed consider themselves knowledgeable about AIDS and STDs, only 39% always ask a new partner if they're infected with HIV.
In its revised 2005 clinical report titled "Adolescent Pregnancy: Current Trends and Issues," the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that physicians encourage adolescents to postpone early sexual activity, but it also emphasizes the responsibility of physicians to “ensure that all adolescents have knowledge of and access to contraception including barrier methods and emergency contraception supplies.”
A recent study issued by the National Marriage Project at New Jersey's Rutgers University reports less people are marrying and more are opting for cohabitation instead. There has been a dramatic decline in marriage as couples are finding it harder to achieve long-term happiness and have a pessimistic view regarding marriage.
Children are becoming less interested in outdoor activities as the television, Internet and video games take precedent to previous childhood pastimes. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study, the average kid today spends nearly six hours per day sitting in front of a TV, video game or computer being entertained by media. Parents are more reluctant to send their kids outside to the local park because of increased problems with pedophiles.
A recent study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and printed in the Journal of Pediatrics reveals the impact of mass media on adolescent sexual attitudes and behaviors. The study confirmed what experts have been saying for years: sexually explicit media leads to promiscuous sexual behavior in teens.
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, two out of three Americans spend time online today, up from one in five Americans in 1995. As the Internet continues to transform lives, it is critical for parents to engage with their children as they surf the Internet. Click herefor important safety tips for parents to safeguard children online.
Two recent studies from the Heritage Foundation reported that young people who take virginity pledges had lower rates of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases and engaged in fewer risky sexual behaviors. These findings challenge earlier studies which claimed there was no difference in behavior between teens who signed pledges versus teens who did not.
A recent study published in Adolescent and Family Health confirmed that abstaining from sex outside of marriage has long term positive effects. The study, Association of Virginity at Age 18 With Educational, Economic, Social, and Health Outcomes in Middle Adulthood, examined the outcomes of 3,750 men and 3,620 women who remained virgins until they were 18 years old. The results showed that those abstaining from sex were half as likely to divorce, had completed an additional year of education and had annual incomes nearly 20 percent higher than those who were not virgins at 18.
A recent study released in the journal Pediatricsexamines today's movie rating system. It concludes that ratings are not always indicative of content, as they have failed to adhere to definitions of PG and PG-13.
A new study by the American Social Health Association reveals that half of U.S. teens who are sexually active will contract a sexually transmitted disease by age 25. The study also indicates that half of all HIV infections occur among adolescents.
A study conducted at the University of California-San Francisco reveals that young teens believe oral sex poses less risk to their health and their emotions than intercourse. Almost one-third said they planned to have oral sex within six months. To read the study, go to April’s edition of the journal Pediatrics at http://pediatrics.aappublications.org
UCLA's Children's Digital Media Center recently released a compelling study on teens, sex and the Internet. Read this to find out more on how the media effects teenagers.
