Though individuals can abstain from any number of behaviors the word carries with it the connotation of self‐denial and willpower—choosing not to do something that will provide pleasure because of the real or perceived consequences. Most often people are said to be abstaining from sexual activity. In fact, though the word abstinence can apply to a wide range of behaviors, in the United States it tends to be associated with sex. Beyond that, however, there is little agreement as to what the term really means, which can be problematic for individuals, couples, educators, and healthcare professionals. Moreover, the federal investment in abstinence‐only‐until‐marriage programs has made abstinence a politically charged issue that often pits those who believe in telling young people to remain abstinent until marriage against those who believe young people need to have access to comprehensive information about sexuality.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.