Author: Eva Rene Hillman

Publisher:

Published: 1992

Total Pages: 458

ISBN-13:

Over one million U.S. teenagers become pregnant each year. In addition to pregnancy risk, adolescents are at risk for a variety of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including AIDS. Little is known regarding the multivariate contributions to adolescent sexual behavior. The following study was designed to test a Developmental Social-Learning Model of adolescent sexual behavior. According to this model, adolescent sexual behavior is a function of maturation, socio-demographic factors, and the social-learning influences of parents, school, media, and peers. These variables in turn impact the knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, social skills and drug use of the developing adolescent. Method. The Developmental Social-Learning Model of adolescent sexual behavior was tested in a sample of 404 Anglo and Latino adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17. Data were collected by a face-to-face interview and a videotaped role-play procedure assessing relevant social skills. Hierarchical regression analysis was calculated to assess the relative contribution of variable blocks to the variation in adolescent sexual activity. Hierarchical analyses were also calculated separately for males, females, Anglos, and Latinos. Lastly, hierarchical equations were calculated to assess the utility of the model in explaining the condom behavior of coitally active adolescents. Results. Each of the nine variables blocks contributed significantly to the hierarchical equation, accounting for a total of 58% of the variance in adolescent sexual activity. When calculated differentially for males, females, Anglos, and Latinos, the model remained highly significant for all groups. The hierarchical models of condom use accounted for 28% of the variance in condom use in the first relationship and 49% of the variance in condom use in the last six months. Conclusions. The significant contributions of the variable blocks to the variation in adolescent sexual activity supports the validity of the Developmental Social-Learning Model. Calculations of separate models for males, females, Anglos, and Latinos highlight several important distinctions between these groups. Finally, the application of the model to the condom behavior of coitally active adolescents provides a more thorough understanding of condom behavior and targets specific areas for future interventions.