{"id":33666,"date":"2012-07-06T22:55:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-07T03:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=33666"},"modified":"2024-11-15T19:04:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-16T01:04:46","slug":"you-need-standards-and-guidance-to-reduce-risky-behavior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/you-need-standards-and-guidance-to-reduce-risky-behavior\/","title":{"rendered":"You Need Standards and Guidance to Reduce Risky Behavior"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Source<\/strong>:\u00a0“Research Finds Parallels Between Sexual Risk Avoidance Approach and Successful Public Health Campaigns to Prevent Teenage Drinking, Smoking, and Reckless Driving,”<\/a>\u00a0House Energy and Commerce Health Committee, 06 July 2012.<\/p>\n

Source<\/strong>: “A Better Approach to Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: Sexual Risk Avoidance,” U.S. House of Representative Committee on Energy and Commerce, July 2012.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee\u00a0released a report on which strategy more effectively prevents unintended pregnancies and STDs in teenagers. “The report analyzes Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA), an abstinence-centered approach to sex education, along with Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE), an alternative type of sex education that takes a value-neutral approach with a core message of risk reduction. The report finds that SRA is the better approach\u00a0…” SRA emphasizes risk\u00a0avoidance<\/em>, though it does talk about contraceptives. The central message is that abstinence is the better choice for teenagers. CSE emphasizes risk reduction. It admits that abstinence is an effective choice but also says that teenagers cannot or will not avoid sex. “CSE continues to teach that contraception is the best protection against an unplanned pregnancy.”<\/p>\n

“CSE has done little in the past 20 years to impact rates of teenage pregnancy.”<\/p>\n

“CSE has failed to lower rates of teenage pregnancy because it assumes that preteens and teens are fully capable of making decisions without adequate guidance. By contrast, a clear understanding of teenage behavior is why public health campaigns against teenage drinking, smoking, and reckless driving have been relatively successful. They are not value neutral when it comes to teenage choices, especially those with public health ramifications. These programs set realistic and ageappropriate expectations for the teens and then show them how to avoid the risky behaviors. SRA is modeled on that successful reasoning.”<\/p>\n

“Young people experience profound physical, cognitive, and emotional changes during adolescence. The physical changes are the most obvious, but other changes during adolescence are equally significant, especially those that challenge personal identity and emotional independence. Teenage thinking can be egocentric and unrealistic with little appreciation for how things actually work. Teens test limits and take risks – behavior that is normal and useful during adolescence. However, for many, unsupervised and reckless behavior can often become too risky and even dangerous.<\/p>\n

In general, teens take more risks than younger and older individuals even as they lack the proper controls to manage them. Behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, driving, and sexual activity involve considerable risk, especially for teens who have not mastered two important skills – planning and risk assessment. According to Dr. Laurence Steinberg, Professor of Psychology at Temple University, the ability to regulate impulse, think ahead, plan, and weigh risk and reward develop gradually in a teen and are often not complete until the mid-twenties. High rates of underage drinking, car accidents, unplanned pregnancy and STIs among teens support the view that most teens are unable to manage the risks associated with these behavioral choices even when provided with warnings.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You would think that this is obvious. Young people are still learning. To assume they can make good moral choices without a standard of what constitutes a good choice is foolish. The government has just discovered the truth of what Solomon wrote 3,000 years ago:<\/p>\n

“My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.<\/em>” (Proverbs 3:1-8).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Across the board, children who have a close relationship with their parents are less likely to have behavioral problems or engage in high-risk behaviors.”<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Source:\u00a0“Research Finds Parallels Between Sexual Risk Avoidance Approach and Successful Public Health Campaigns to Prevent Teenage Drinking, Smoking, and Reckless Driving,”\u00a0House Energy and Commerce Health Committee, 06 July 2012. Source: “A Better Approach to Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: Sexual Risk Avoidance,” U.S. House of Representative Committee on Energy and Commerce, July 2012. The\u00a0Energy and Commerce Health…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,1028,1034],"tags":[665,1319,1572,38,29,107,420,395],"class_list":["post-33666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-issues","category-parenting","category-teenager","tag-child-rearing","tag-drinking","tag-fornication","tag-morality","tag-parenting","tag-raising-children","tag-smoking","tag-teenagers"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1873,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-you-prevent-teenagers-from-having-pre-marital-sex\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":0},"title":"How do you prevent teenagers from having pre-marital sex?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 26, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How do you prevent teenagers from having pre-marital sex? Answer: \"We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adolescence"","block_context":{"text":"Adolescence","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/parenting\/adolescence\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34855,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sexting-is-associated-with-risky-sexual-behavior\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":1},"title":"Sexting Is Associated with Risky Sexual Behavior","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0Eric Rice, et al, \"Sexually Explicit Cell Phone Messaging Associated with Sexual Risk Among Adolescents,\"\u00a0Pediatrics, 17 September 2012. Source:\u00a0Genevra Pittman, \"\"Sexting\" again linked to risky sex among teens: study,\"\u00a0Reuters, 18 September 2012. Source:\u00a0Genevra Pittman, \"Teen sexting: Strong link to risky sexual behavior,\"\u00a0Christian Science Monitor, 17 September 2012. Basic common sense\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36020,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/adolescent-alcohol-use\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":2},"title":"Adolescent Alcohol Use","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0David Murphey, et al., \"Alcohol Use,\" Adolescent Health Highlight, Child Trends, Publication 2012-34, November 2012. Though continuing a downward trend, alcohol use remains a problem among teenagers despite the fact that the minimum drinking age is 21 throughout the United States. 40% of high school seniors, 27% of high school\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3285,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/youre-too-harsh-on-public-schools\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":3},"title":"You’re too harsh on public schools","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 6, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Not all schools are bad. I work for a middle school in South Carolina teaching special education. I know that our school district promotes abstaining until marriage, and it is taught in the classroom. I would say that 75% or more of our faculty and staff are Christians. Instead\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34897,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/doctors-push-for-teenage-girls-to-use-birth-control-devices\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":4},"title":"Doctors Push for Teenage Girls to Use Birth Control Devices","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0Lindsey Tanner, \"Teenage Girls Should Get IUDs or Hormonal Implants for Birth Control, Says American College of OBGYNs,\" CNSNews.com, 20 September 2012 Logic has not been the strong point among liberal policymakers for decades. It seems that whenever it is found that people are ignoring moral common sense, the outcry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34208,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sexting-is-now-called-normal-dating-behavior\/","url_meta":{"origin":33666,"position":5},"title":"Sexting Is Now Called “Normal Dating Behavior”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Source:\u00a0Matt Roush, \"UM Study: Sexting May Be Normal Dating Behavior For Internet\u00a0Generation,\" CBS Detroit, 24 July 2012. Source:\u00a0Deborah Gordon-Messer, et al, \"Sexting Among Young Adults,\" Journal of Adolescent Health, 24 July 2012. \"For young adults today who were weaned on iPods and the Internet, the practice of \"sexting,\" or sending\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Issues"","block_context":{"text":"Issues","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/issues\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33666"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33666\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}