According to Tierney, Grossman and Resch (1995), the benefits of mentoring include the following:

1. Mentored youth were 46% less likely than the control group to initiate drug use during the study period. The finding was even stronger for minority youth, who were 70% less likely than the control group to initiate drug use while involved in a positive mentoring relationship. 
2. Mentored youth were 27% less likely than the control group to initiate alcohol use.

Citation: Tierney, JP, Grossman, JB & Resch, NL (1995). Making a difference: An impact study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Philadelphia: Private/Public Ventures.

A recent article in the American Journal of Health Behavior developed a profile of variables that contribute to sexual abstinence in teens by using youth assets, community factors, and youth and parent demographics. For the 13 to 14 year old age group, the greatest factor contributing to sexual abstinence was the asset of Peer Role Models. Out of 1253 teens total and with 445 in this age group, “[n]inety-one percent of youth in this age group with the Peer Role Models asset were abstinent compared to 77% without the asset” (Oman, et al, 2003, p. S85).

Citation: Oman, R., et al, (2003). A youth development approach to profiling sexual abstinence. The American Journal of Health Behavior. 27:S80-S93.

Research has shown alcohol and drugs often act as a catalyst in teens’ sexual encounters. Almost two in ten (17 percent) teens 13 to 18 who have had an intimate encounter admit having done something sexual while under the influence of drugs or alcohol that they otherwise might not have done. One in three (32 percent) girls 17 to 18 have had this experience.

Citation: America’s youth: Measuring the risk (4th Edition). The Institute for Youth Development. Washington, DC. (2002).

Overall drug use among teens was stable between 1999 and 2000, and down significantly since 1997, with trail use down 9% (from 53% in 1997 to 48% in 2000), past-year use down 9% (from 43% to 39%) and past-month use down 11% (from 28% to 25%).

Citation: Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, Spring 2000, Teens in Grades 7 through 12. Partnership for a Drug-Free America. November 27, 2000.

Demographic factors and early age at first intercourse are associated with young people’s odds of having multiple partners. Additionally, alcohol and drug use are significant determinants of their lifetime number of sexual partners. And alcohol-related behavior is one of the most important risk factors for multiple sexual partners in the recent past.

Peer influence plays a pivotal role in the initiation of tobacco and drug use. Peer pressure may be a factor not only in drug use but also in drug abstinence. Peer cross-pressure, that is, the opposing influences on individuals exerted by the choices they make or by their socioeconomic standing or social group membership, may play a role in initiation of drug use. The study by Robin and Johnson on peer cross-pressure found adolescents believed their peers’ general attitude was against drug use. With the exception of alcohol, there was a direct relationship between peer cross-pressure and subsequent drug use; the lower the acceptance of drug use, the less frequent the drug use. The higher the perceived risk, the lower the drug use.

Citation: America’s youth: Measuring the risk (3rd Edition). The Institute for Youth Development. Washington, DC. 1999.

More females (37.4%) than males (18.9%) feel pressure from their partners to have sex. More males (45.2%) than females (25.6%) feel pressure from their friends. Just under 12% of teens feel pressure from the media, and nearly 17% feel pressure from another source.

Citation: With one voice: America's adults and teens sound off about teen pregnancy, A National Survey. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Washington, DC. April 2001.

Married people have both more and better sex than singles do. They not only have more often, but they enjoy it more, both physically and emotionally, than do their unmarried counterparts.

Two national surveys, the National Sex Survey and a survey conducted by Stanley and Markham, revealed “that husbands and wives were more satisfied with sex than the sexually active singles; 42 percent of married women interviewed in the National Sex Survey said they found sex extremely emotionally and physically satisfying, compared to just 31 percent of single women who had a sex partner.

One study that followed the earnings of Swedish workers over a number of years found that married men earned substantially more than unmarried men – even after taking into account their work hours and working conditions, their education and work experience, and whether or not they had supervisory responsibility.

Citation: Waite, L. and Gallagher, M. The case for marriage: Why married people are happier, healthier, and better off financially. New York: Doubleday, 2000.

Despite the recent decline, the United States still has the highest rates of teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion in the fully industrialized world.

Citation: Flanigan, C. (2001). What's behind the good news: The decline in teen pregnancy rates during the 1990's. Washington, DC: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Some teens are having sex earlier. One major data set indicates that the only group of teen girls showing an increase in sexual activity is those under age 15. And, a 1999 study indicated that 8.3 percent of students report having sex before age 13 – a disturbing 15 percent increase since 1997.

Citation: National Campaign to Prevent Pregnancy (2002). Not just another single issue: Teen pregnancy prevention’s link to other critical social issues.

The daughters of teen parents are 22 percent more likely to become teen mothers themselves.

Citation: Terry, E. & Manlove, J. (2000). Trends in sexual activity and contraceptive use among teens. Washington, DC: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Boys and girls without involved fathers are twice as likely to drop out of school, twice as likely to abuse alcohol or drugs, twice as likely to end up in jail, and nearly four times as likely to need help for emotional or behavioral problems.

Citation: Horn, W.F. (1998). Father facts, third addition. Gaithersburg, MD: National Fatherhood Initiative.

Compared to delayed sexual activity, early sexual activity has been linked to a greater number of sexual partners over time and an increased risk of both teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Citation: Terry-Humen, E., Manlove, J., Bruckner, H., Bearman, P., Flanigan, C., et al (2003). 14 and younger: The sexual behavior of young adolescents. Washington, DC: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

A 2002 public opinion poll found that 81% of sexually experienced youth under age 12-14 wish they had waited longer to have sex, compared to 55% of sexually experienced 15-19-year-olds.

Citation: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (2002). With one voice 2002: America’s adults and teens sound off about teen pregnancy. [Online]. Available: www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/data/pdf/teenwant.pdf. Washington, DC: Author.

O’Donnell, et al, reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health (2002, pg. 100) that “a service learning intervention that combines community involvement with health instruction can have a long-term benefit by reducing sexual risk taking among urban adolescents.” Participants in a community service-oriented program were significantly less likely to report sexual initiation up to two years after program participation.

Citation: O’Donnell, L., Stueve, A., O’Donnell, C., Duran, R., San Doval, A., Wilson, R., Haber, D., Perry, E., and Pleck, J. (2002). Long-term reductions in sexual initiation and sexual activity among urban middle schoolers in the reach for health learning program. Journal of Adolescent Health. Volume 31, Issue 1, pgs. 93-100.

A strong positive correlation was found between adolescents with mentors and a decreased participation in high-risk behaviors. “Adolescents with mentors were significantly less likely to participate in 4 of the 5 measured risk behaviors: ever carrying a weapon (P<01), illicit drug use in the past 30 days (P<.01), smoking more than 5 cigarettes per day (P<.05), and sex with more than 1 partner in the past 6 months (P<.05).”

Citation: Beier, S., Rosenfeld, W., Spitalny, K., Zansky, S., and Bontempo, A. (2000). The potential role of an adult mentor in influencing high-risk behaviors in adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Volume 154 No. 4.

Higher levels of mother-daughter sexual risk communication were associated with fewer episodes of sexual intercourse and unprotected intercourse at 3-month follow-up. This prospective study supports the notion that mothers who communicate to their daughters about sex can affect their daughters’ sexual behaviors in positive ways.

Citation: Hutchinson, M.K., Jermott, J.B., Sweet-Jermott, L., Braverman, P., and Fong, G.T. (2003). The role of mother-daughter sexual risk communication in reducing sexual risk behaviors among urban adolescent females: A prospective study. Journal of Adolescent Health. Volume 33, Issue 2, pgs. 98-107.

Younger age and higher spiritual connectedness, particularly interconnectedness among spiritual friends, are independently associated with a lower likelihood of voluntary sexual activity.

Citation: Holder, D.W., DuRant, R.H., Harris, T.L., Henderson-Daniel, J., Obeidallah, D., and Goodman, E. (2000). The association between adolescent spirituality and voluntary sexual activity. Journal of Adolescent Health. Volume 26, Issue 4, pgs. 295-302.

Youth identified with substance problems are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors during adolescence and to continue risky sexual behaviors to the extent that substance problems persist.

Citation: Tapert, S.F., Aarons, G.A., Sedlar, G.R., and Brown, S.A. (2001). Adolescent substance use and sexual risk-taking behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health. Volume 28, Issue 3, pgs. 181-189.

The Medical Institute for Sexual Health - http://www.medinstitute.org

National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy  - http://www.teenpregnancy.org

The National Abstinence Clearinghouse - http://www.abstinence.net

The Institute for Youth Development  - http://www.youthdevelopment.org

National Fatherhood Initiative - http://www.fatherhood.org

I Vote My Values - http://ivotemyvalues.com/index.php