Factors Associated with Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors among Adolescents

The author examines factors which distinguish between sexually active adolescents who are at risk for pregnancy and for sexually transmitted diseases and sexually active teens who are at lower risk for these outcomes. Study findings are based upon a representative survey of 2567 13-19 year-olds in twelve school districts in four rural Midwestern counties. This number accounts for 89% of all students who were present on the day the survey was administered. Only 114 of the students were over age 17. Half of the sample is male and 98% is white. 73% were living with both biological or adoptive parents 13.2% were living with a parent and stepparent 12.3% were living with only one parent and the remaining 1.5% were living with both parents alternately. 9.2% of 10th grade females and 18.6% of 12th grade females reported having had four or more partners while 15.8% of 10th grade males and 22.2% of 12th grade males reported the same number of partners. Many adolescents do not use contraception reliably. Sexual risk takers were found to fare more poorly than abstainers on nearly every variable examined and they also fared less well than more responsible sexually active teens on several measures. Factors associated with sexual risk taking among females included low grade point average (GPA) frequent alcohol consumption low levels of parental monitoring and a lack of communication about birth control with mothers. Among males sexual risk taking was associated with low GPA frequent alcohol consumption suicidal ideations low levels of parental support and a history of sexual abuse.