Child Trends Child Trends offers a broad array of research-based information with the goal of improving children's lives. Authoritative information relating to early childhood development, poverty, education, health, parenting, child welfare and many additional topics can be found at the Child Trends website http://www.childtrends.org/.
Child Trends and LINKS
Of particular interest is Child Trends' synthesis of what they have learned from experimentally evaluated programs in the LINKS (Lifecourse Interventions to Nurture Kids Successfully) database.
Child Trends has generously allowed us to select three LINKS Syntheses fact-sheet publications of current interest for presentation in our Timely Topics series. Each fact sheet synthesizes the lesson learned from experimentally evaluated programs in the LINKS database.
What Works for Adolescent Reproductive Health
The LINKS evaluation,
What Works for Adolescent Reproductibe Health: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions, by Victoria Ball and Kristin A. Moore, May 2008, reported on studies of more than 50 programs and found that:
• Many different types of programs including school- and community-based sex education programs, clinic-based programs, and youth development programs have been shown to positively affect reproductive health outcomes.
• Comprehensive sex education can improve adolescent reproductive health.
• High-quality, intensive early childhood interventions can positively affect reproductive health
outcomes later in life.
• No abstinence-based interventions have yet been shown to positively affect any behavioral outcomes. None of these six abstinence-based interventions have been shown to negatively affect any behavioral outcomes, either. In spite of their exclusive focus on abstinence, none have served to significantly decrease condom or contraceptive use.
The fact sheet can be found at:http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2008_05_20_FS_WhatWorksRepro.pdf
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