A study of the cognitive aspects of sexual decision making in adolescent females.
A comprehensive sexuality questionnaire was administered to 37 females, ages 13 through 16 years, who attended clinics for routine health care. Subjects completed standardized scales of self-concept, locus of control, and future orientation. They also were given a short battery of standardized cognitive tests. Three groups were identified: Group 1 was sexually active and using contraception reliably, Group 2 was not using contraception reliably, and Group 3 had not been sexually active. Group 1 adolescents had higher scores on the vocabulary subtest of the WISC-R (F = 3.4, p less than .05) than did Group 2 adolescents, over and above the effect of socioeconomic status (SES). Group 1 subjects had higher scores on knowledge of sex and contraception than did Group 2 (F = 3.3, p less than .05). Group 1 had more internal locus of control (F = 7.0, p less than .005) than did Group 2 over and above the effect of SES. Mean scores for Group 3 adolescents were intermediate and not significantly different. The findings suggest that cognitive factors may influence contraceptive behavior in adolescent females.
Sandler
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Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599.
Watson
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Levine
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D000293:Adolescent; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012931:Social Environment