Socio-demographic factors, attitudes, and expectations toward adolescent coitus
Effects of race, gender, and family structure on measures of attitude toward coitus, and peer and parent-guardian-expectations regarding coitus were examined using 2146 9th and 10th grade students who attended public high schools in eight Alabama counties. Data were derived from the 1998 Alabama Adolescent Survey. Analyses of the data used socio-demographic items as predictors and psychosocial indices as outcome variables. Descriptive analyses of the demographic data indicated that more than half (59%) of the students were sexually active. Among sexually active students 61% were 16 and 17 years of age, 54% were female, 49% were White, and 47% resided with two biological parents. Among the non-sexually active group, 13 and 15 years olds comprised 56% of the group, 61%, were females, 67% were Whites, and 66% resided with two biological parents. Significant MANOVAs (ps < .01) indicated main and interactive effects of gender, race, and family structure on attitude toward coitus and parent-guardian expectations regarding coitus. The interactive nature of the complex relationships between family structure, ethnicity, gender, attitude toward coitus, and parent-guardian expectations about adolescent coital involvement suggests that interventions should be sensitive to socio-demographic factors. It appears that these attributes impact on psychosocial outcomes directly through group membership and indirectly through possible attitude and social norm mediators.
Keywords: Adolescents,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.