YOUNG MEN ARE STRONG

Young Men Are Strong is a teen pregnancy prevention program for adolescent males who are at high risk for becoming teen fathers, having a second child while a teen, or fathering a child with an adolescent female when older. The goal of the group is to maximize young men's potential to become healthy and responsible adults. Participants examine how men have been traditionally socialized by their culture, environment and society and are encouraged to be active, responsible fathers. 

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This education/support group model includes ten 1.5-hour sessions offered weekly. Topics are: Learning About the Group; Act Like a Man; Feelings & Defenses; Communication; Chemically Dependent Families; Families; Relationships (and abuse); Sexual Responsibility; Decision Making; and Roles & Responsibilities of Fatherhood. 

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At the completion of group, participants showed significant improvement on measures of 

• Self-esteem 

• Chemical dependency 

• Emotional functioning

• Use of birth control 

• Participants were 

  • Less likely to agree that "I always do what my friends want me to do" 

  • More likely 

    • To agree that "I know how to say no and refuse" - demonstrating increased self-control 

    • To belong to an organized group where they felt respected and accepted - demonstrating social competency 

    • To demonstrate social competency

    • To indicate they had strong relationship with an adult

• Participants demonstrated decreased use of drugs (cocaine and speed).