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OUR CURRENT AND RECENT PROJECTS

Sex and Contraception

Cooperative Agreement for Family Planning Research
Child Trends is working on a cooperative research project funded by the Office of Population Affairs.  The aim is to increase the availability of research-based information related to improving the delivery of family planning services, and to assess how well the Title X family planning program is meeting the objectives of Healthy People 2010. Topics include young teens and older sexual partners, male involvement in reproductive health, parent involvement and teen sexual activity, and reproductive health among young adults.  Products include the following publications:

• Young Teenagers and Older Sexual Partners: Correlates and Consequences for Males and Females. J. Manlove - E. Terry-Humen - E. Ikramullah. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Vol. 38(4). December 2006/
• Risk and Protective Factors Associated With the Transition to a First Sexual Relationship With an Older Partner.  (2007).  J. Malove - S. Ryan - K. Franzetta. Journal of Adolescent Health, 40, 135-143.
• Adolescents' Discussions about Contraception or STDs with Partners before First Sex. (2007, September). S. Ryan - K. Franzetta - J. Manlove - E. Holcombe. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 39, 149-157.
• Older Sexual Partners During Adolescence: Links to Reproductive Health Outcomes in Young Adulthood. (March 2008). S. Ryan – K. Franzetta – J. Manlove – E. Schelar.  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 40, 17-26.
• Condom Use and Consistency Among Adolescent Males in the United States. (Forthcoming).  J. Manlove - E. Ikramullah - E. Terry-Humen.  Journal of Adolescent Health.
• Outcomes Among Children of Teen Mothers at Kindergarten Entry and Through Adolescence: Analysis of Recent Data. (Forthcoming). J. Manlove - E. Terry-Humen - L. Mincielli - K. Moore.  R. Maynard & S. Hoffman. (Eds.) Kids Having Kids Updated Edition: Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy.  Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press.

Relationships and Adolescent Childbearing
With funding from the Office of Population Affairs, Child Trends is providing important information on how relationships with partners, parents, and peers influence romantic and sexual relationships during adolescence, which can in turn influence the likelihood of becoming a teen parent.

Contraceptive Use Among Teens and Young Adults
With funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Child Trends is examining patterns of contraceptive use and consistency across sexual relationships so that we can educate teens and young adults about how to become more consistent contraceptive users. Fact Sheet

Maternal, Infant, and Reproductive Health: National and State Coalition Capacity Building
This project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, identifies evidence-based practices that prevent teen pregnancy and translates this research into user-friendly materials. Child Trends profiles effective pregnancy prevention programs and conducts research on teen sexual relationships, reproductive health among Latino teens, and the link between sexual abuse and adolescent pregnancy.

Immigration Status and Reproductive Health Outcomes among Latinos
Child Trends is working on a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to assess the association between immigration status and country of origin of Hispanic teens and their parents and a variety of reproductive health outcomes (such as sexual experience, contraceptive use, and childbearing) among U.S. Hispanic adolescents.

Religiosity and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors
With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this project assesses the influence of religiosity on adolescent sexual activity and contraceptive use.  We examine the influence of religious attendance, denomination, and beliefs on adolescent sexual experience and contraceptive use.  In addition, we investigate mechanisms through which family religiosity influences adolescent outcomes, including parenting practices and family cohesion. 

Fertility

Consequences of Unintended Childbearing
This project, funded by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, provides information about consequences of having an unintended birth for women, couples, and children, based on comprehensive literature reviews and data analyses.

Nonmarital Childbearing
With funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Child Trends is assessing how multiple domains of the lives of unmarried women and men are associated with their likelihood of having a birth outside of marriage, and to examine the factors associated with marriage and cohabitation among unmarried parents.

Transition to Fatherhood
This project, which is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, aims to enhance our understanding of subsequent fertility among men who are fathers.  We examine the number of children born, births that are closely-spaced, unintended and/or unwanted births, births outside of marriage or in a high-conflict relationship, and men who have children with multiple partners.

Communications and Publications Related to Reproductive Health
With the support of a grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Child Trends is producing and distributing a series of research briefs and fact sheets on issues related to sexual activity, contraceptive use and fertility among teens and adults.  This project also includes the publication of Facts at a Glance, an annual statistical newsletter highlighting national-, state-, and city-level data on teen pregnancy, childbearing, and sexual behavior.