Adolescents' views of sexual decision-making.
The purpose of this study was to ascertain the reasons adolescents give for abstinence, safer sex, and unprotected sexual intercourse. Participants were 115 high school students living in a midwestern state; average age was 17.5 years. Students completed a two-part questionnaire about (a) their expectations for the outcome of a vignette in which two teenagers had the opportunity for intercourse and (b) their ideas about the reasons, thoughts, and feelings associated with three possible endings to the vignette-abstinence, intercourse with a condom, unprotected intercourse. Content analysis of responses indicated that four interconnected factors are significant contributors to sexual behavior: social norms, fear, gratification or pleasure, and availability of condoms.
Keller
M L
ML
University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing 53792-2455, USA.
Duerst
B L
BL
Zimmerman
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D017280:Condoms; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012424:Rural Population; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014922:Wisconsin