Managing Pressures Before Marriage / Reducing the Risk Programs

These two programs are taught to younger and older teens to address risks and consequences related to early sexual involvement.

For more information about either program, contact Elayne Hollinger at (859) 288-2426 or email at  elayne.hollinger@ky.gov.

Managing Pressures Before Marriage This abstinence-based curriculum is designed for fifth and seventh graders in an effort to reduce pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases among young teens. The series of 5 sessions is taught by trained teen leaders in a supervised classroom setting with parent approval. Teen leaders are very effective in promoting saying “NO” to sexual involvement since younger teens are often more receptive to information presented by their older peers.

Teen leaders not only act as teachers, but also as role models. Teens demonstrate assertiveness techniques and refusal skills through role-play situations. Role-playing is an important component based on social learning theory – the more teens practice assertiveness and communication skills, the more prepared they will be to handle real-life pressure situations.

Lessons include:

• Risks of Early Sexual Involvement
• Media and Social Pressures to Have Sex
• Peer Pressures
• Assertiveness Techniques
• Reinforcing Skills

Reducing the Risk (R.T.R.) This abstinence-based sexuality education curriculum is taught to high school students by a trained Health Educator in an effort to promote healthy choices. Facts on disease and effectiveness of protection are emphasized in 30% of the 8 to 10 sessions. Learning refusal skills and decision-making are 70% of the program.

As with P.S.I., role-playing is an important component of R.T.R. When presented with simple pressure situations, teens are challenged to engage their own problem solving and communication skills in order to avoid unwanted or unprotected sexual encounters.