YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

Youth development programs represent an alternative way to reduce teen age pregnancy. These programs do not focus on sexuality, as do traditi onal pregnancy prevention programs. Instead, they strive to improve ad olescents' life skills, belief in their future, opportunities, or ''li fe options'' more generally. That is, they address motivation to avoid early childbearing. Research on the antecedents of adolescent sexual behaviors and pregnancy rates, as well as the experience in this count ry and other countries, suggest that youth development approaches may be effective. We review eight studies that have evaluated youth develo pment programs. Although the rigor of these studies varies greatly, th ey collectively suggest that some youth development programs may effec tively reduce adolescent pregnancy or birth rates.