Premarital Sexual Permissiveness Among Black Adolescent Females

The assumption of subcultural permissiveness among blacks is tested using a national representative sample of black adolescent females, ages 15-19 years. Logit models are used to analyze differences in observed levels of permissiveness among adolescent females by SES, religiosity and close friends' sexual attitudes. The model of premarital permissiveness presented in this paper reveals that social class, as measured by family income, has no significant effect on levels of permissiveness. However, it was necessary to include frequency of churchattendance and perception of close friends' permissiveness in order to explain the premarital sexual attitudes of black adolescent females. Implications for further research are offered.