ABSTRACT
Over the past decade the proportion of sexually active adolescents has increased dramatically, creating a climate of concern in American society. The heightened visibility of teenage sexuality, pregnancy, and childbearing generated much interest in preventive policies and services in the 1970s. After a brief but spirited debate, federal funding was provided to make family planning services available to sexually active adolescents. The study grew out of an interest in exploring whether and how family communication is related to adolescent contraceptive use. It also resulted from an experiment attempted by several federally funded family planning agencies affiliated with the Family Planning Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Kinship Study was funded in 1979 by a grant from the Office of Family Planning, Bureau of Community Health Services. Adolescent participants in the project were drawn from six federally funded family planning agencies operating nine separate clinic sites.
