title: The relationship of character strengths to sexual behaviors and related risks among African American adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Relatively few studies have examined positive character traits that are associated with lower HIV/STD risks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, the relationships of character strengths with sexual behaviors and attitudes were assessed among 383 African-American adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Character strengths were measured using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths. Because the strengths were highly inter-correlated, stepwise discriminant function analyses were utilized to assess their independent associations with sexual behaviors and attitudes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater Love of Learning was related to self-reported abstinence from sexual intercourse for boys and self-reported abstinence from drug use for boys and girls. Greater Love of Learning and Curiosity were related to the belief in no premarital sex for boys, whereas only Curiosity was significant for girls. Prudence was related to reported abstinence from sexual intimacy (e.g., touching or kissing). Judgment was related to sexual initiation efficacy for girls and boys, whereas Leadership was only significant for girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that character strengths may be associated with lower levels of sexual behaviors and sex-related beliefs among a sample of African-American adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Nova Southeastern University, Farquhar Collegeof Arts and Sciences, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314, USA. mmindy@nova.edu
authors.forename: Mindy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kibler
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dollar
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sly
authors.forename: Deanne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Melissa White
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Benford
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: LaTonya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Floyd
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002605:Character; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007600:Judgment; D007857:Leadership; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011594:Psychometrics; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D029181:Spirituality; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology