Biomedical subjects

Jerrold E Barnett

Publications and source records attributed to Jerrold E Barnett.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evaluating "baby think it over" infant simulators: a comparison group study.

To test the efficacy of Baby-Think-It-Over (BTIO) infant simulators, two versions of a sexuality education program were compared. While the program was designed to include BTIO as an important teaching technique, two schools (49 students) opted not to use them. These students completed all elements of the program except the BTIO activities. Their results were compared to students from three similar, neighboring schools that completed the regular program (including BTIO). Knowledge about sex, attitudes toward teen sex, parent-adolescent communication, and sexual behavior were measured on self-report instruments at the beginning and end of the three-week program. No significant differences were found between the two groups on any of the four measures on the pretest or posttest. This study and similar recent reports call into question the educational value of expensive infant simulators.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Do adolescents take "baby think it over" seriously?

Infant simulators are a popular means for providing a realistic experience of caring for an infant and are often used as a supplement in sexuality education programs. The goal of this activity is to help adolescents realize the enormous responsibility that raising a child entails and to motivate them to avoid risking pregnancy. The little research conducted to date on the effectiveness of infant simulators has yielded mixed results. The present study compared the reactions of 8th- and 10th-grade males and females at the end of their experience with infant simulators. Data were collected via student surveys and technical readouts from the simulators. Overall, the findings support the use of infant simulators, with the impact being greater for females and the younger group (8th graders). Data from the simulators were consistent with the self-reports. These promising results support the continued use of infant simulators, but further research with stronger experimental designs and long-term follow-up is needed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Abstinence education for rural youth: an evaluation of the Life's Walk Program.

This paper summarizes an evaluation of a school-based sexuality education program, an abstinence-only program, taught in public schools to eighth- and 10th-graders. The program uses infant simulators to provide adolescents with a realistic view of parenting and to encourage them to delay initiation of sexual behavior until marriage. Two evaluations are summarized here. The first evaluation used a pretest-posttest design. Significant increases in parent-adolescent communication, knowledge about sexuality, and sexual behavior were found. No changes were found in attitudes toward teen sexual activity. The second evaluation employed a quasi-experimental design with a treatment group and a comparison group, with testing delayed four months after the program. No group differences were found in attitudes, behavior, or communication. Program effects were found only for knowledge about sexuality.

Adolescent↗