An examination of abstinence-only, abstinence-plus, and comprehensive sex education in light of identity theory

This analytic study examined abstinence-only, abstinence-plus, and comprehensive sex education to determine the consistency of the pedagogical practices with identity development theory. Both the archetypal definitions of these three approaches and a specific curriculum from each of the three categories (i.e., Choosing the Best Life, Reducing the Risk, and Making Proud Choices) were analyzed in the context of the identity development literature. The abstinence-only definition and the Choosing the Best Life curricular approach were found to be least consistent with practices that promote identity development. The SIECUS definition of comprehensive sex education and the abstinence-plus curriculum, Reducing the Risk, exhibited the most consistency with the identity development literature. Sex education practices were discussed in the social context in an effort to identify the root causes of the recent emphasis on abstinence-only sex education approaches. Finally, recommendations were presented for sex education practices both from existing curricular approaches as well as novel approaches that may increase the likelihood of facilitating identity development and achievement.