Something everyone should be smiling about.
The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) found that the SRA approach is effective, supported by both parents and an increasing number of teens, and consistent with other public health initiatives for teens such as anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-drug, and anti-violence programs that have also been effective.
"Largely misrepresented, SRA education is more than just about saying 'no,'" says NAEA. "Abstinence-centered and holistic, the SRA strategy offers skill-building topics such as goal setting and future orientation, healthy decision making, building assets, avoiding negative peer pressure, and human development."
The sexual risk reduction (SRR) model, however, NAEA states, "is built on the premise that teens either cannot, or will not, abstain from sex; therefore they must learn to take 'precautions' that will decrease their risk of becoming pregnant," or becoming infected with an STD.