Today, the media, policy makers, educators, and parents are all talking about abstinence. Unfortunately, these groups often do not define the term or assume a singular, limited definition. However, each group and possibly each individual have a different definition of the word. In this environment of confusion and miscommunication, it is essential…

Little is known about the extent to which young fathers (age 22 and under) are involved with their children over time. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a national study on children born to unmarried parents, father's involvement with their child approximately one year after the birth is examined. This research…

This article presents the Supreme Court's preview. As the 2005 term neared its June 30 end date, the Supreme Court, still adjusting to its first membership change in 11 years, had yet to decide dozens of cases that had defied quick resolution throughout the term. But with the last-minute release of seriously fractured decisions in many of the…

High school students have high ambitions but do not always make choices that maximize their likelihood of educational success. This was the motivation for investigating the relationships between high school sexual behavior and two important milestones in academic attainment: earning a high school diploma and enrolling in distinct postsecondary…

Background: Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have been neglected in health research. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to (1) describe the sexual risk behaviors of a sample of AAPI community college students using questions from the National College Health Risk Behavior Survey, and (2) to compare the sexual risk behaviors of AAPI…

Programs for parents of young children hold considerable promise for improving children's life-course trajectories and for reducing health and development problems and associated costs to government and society. To date, this promise has not been achieved. Fulfilling the potential of parenting interventions will require substantial improvements in…

Background: The proportion of adolescents experiencing unwanted pregnancy and abortion caused by the premature initiation of sexual intercourse is increasing at an alarming rate in Korea. This study aimed at developing a theoretical model for identifying individual and environmental risk factors affecting the initiation of sexual intercourse by…

This article uses a mixed methods design to investigate the effects of social influence on family formation in a sample of eastern and western German young adults at an early stage of their family formation. Theoretical propositions on the importance of informal interaction for fertility and family behavior are still rarely supported by systematic…

The Senate Subcommittee met in order to examine the alarming increase of out-of-wedlock teenage pregnancies in the United States. Information provided at the hearings included: the scope of the issue; input from experts on what is causing the increases being recorded; different approaches to reducing teen pregnancy; and, teen parent perspectives.…

This report contains highlights from a seminar on teenage pregnancy prevention programs. Comments by these panelists are summarized: Kristin Moore, senior research associate, Child Trends, Inc.; Dennis McBride, consultant for the Adolescent Family Life Office; Susan Newcomer, consultant for the National Institute of Child Health and Development;…

This report of a congressional hearing presents information on children exposed to drugs prenatally and their later educational problems. The document begins with an opening statement and a prepared statement from Representative Charles B. Rangel. Testimony and prepared statements from the following witnesses are included: (1) Evelyn Davis,…

This text is designed to accompany a series of slides that present information on Missouri's attempts to reduce minority infant mortality. In Missouri, the rate of black infant mortality is twice that for whites, and blacks are twice as likely as whites to be born with low birthweight. Only 64.9 percent of black women receive prenatal care in the…

Targeted to teens at-risk for early motherhood and dropping out of school, as well as to teachers, counselors, and parents, this video encourages teens to delay motherhood by underscoring the link between goal-setting and education. The 24-minute film features seven urban high school students speaking about the importance of education and the…

This report uses data from the 1983 through 1988 rounds of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) to provide information about prenatal, infant, and child health. Objectives of the report are to present statistics which should be of value to maternal and child health policymakers, and to provide NLSY users with baseline information about…

The articles in this journal issue provide an overview of ways in which health services are presently delivered to children, youth, and pregnant women; the means by which these services are financed; and some of the major deficiencies in meeting the health needs of these groups. In the first article, the Center for the Future of Children presents…