Fairy Tales Don’t Come True: The Impact of Aspirational Distance on Teen Pregnancy Prevention Messages

The risks associated with teen sexual activity are not as universal as policy makers and programmers may suggest. Furthermore, the future presented by teen advocacy programs may not represent a reality that the teens experience in their communities and therefore may feel unobtainable. The goal of this research is to understand how teens evaluate their vulnerability associated with teen sexual activity and teen pregnancy relative to desirable life outcomes. Several focus groups were conducted with parenting and never-pregnant teens. The results contribute to the understanding of how disadvantaged teens assess risks and vulnerability.