xvi, 108 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Risky sexual behavior (RSB) places adolescents at risk for unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection, and research is needed to understand the predictors of adolescent RSB and targets for future intervention. The current study used the social contextual model of problem behavior development to examine family, peer, and individual influences on adolescents' sexual behavior and the relationship between RSB and other problem behaviors. Data were previously collected from 998 adolescents and their families. First, I examined the level of agreement between adolescents' and parents' perceptions of family relationships, parental monitoring, and adolescents' friendships and which perceptions were more strongly related to adolescent problem behavior. Pearson bivariate correlations between parent and adolescent perceptions were small. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that adolescent report was a better predictor of problem behavior than was parent report. Second, I assessed whether positive family relations, parental monitoring, family conflict, and parent-adolescent communication about sex in earlier adolescence were related to RSB in later adolescence. Structural equation modeling results suggested that the timing and frequency of parent-adolescent communication about sex and parent monitoring in earlier adolescence were related to RSB in later adolescence among the sample as a whole; results varied somewhat by gender. Third, I examined participants' membership in four risk behavior groups in late adolescence (low problem behavior, RSB only, substance use only, and RSB plus substance use), identified family, peer, and individual factors that differentiated teens in each group, and explored differences by sex and ethnicity. Females were more likely than males to report engaging in a combination of RSB and patterned substance use, and African Americans of both sexes were more likely than European Americans to report engaging in RSB in the absence of other behaviors. The variable that most reliably distinguished among risk groups for both males and females was friend drug use in late adolescence. Discussion considers reasons for these findings and highlights the roles of parent monitoring, parent-adolescent communication about sex, and gender and sociocultural factors in RSB prevention. / Committee in charge: Ellen McWhirter, Chairperson, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Joe Stevens, Member, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership; Elizabeth Stormshak, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Anthony Biglan, Member, Not from U of O; Yvonne Braun, Outside Member, Sociology

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in English and Afrikaans / In an exploratory study variables influencing the intention to use contraceptives and contraceptive use of teenagers and the association between these variables were determined.A random quota sample consisting of 231 and 224 school boys and girls (14 - 18 years) were selected and the final investigating group were 315 sexually active teenagers. According to loglinear analyses the following variables showed a significant relationship with the intention to use contraceptives: attitudes towards the use of contraceptives, perceptions of accessibility and locus of control. Variables that showed a significant relationship with actual contraceptive use were gender, knowledge about reproduction and contraceptives, beliefs and attitudes towards the use of contraceptives, traditional values such as proving fertility before marriage and family size, perceptions of social approval of contraceptive use as well as perceptions of accessibility to contraceptives. An important conclusion was that an urgent need exists for effective sex education programmes and better access to contraceptives. / In 'n verkennende veldstudie is faktore wat verband hou met swart tienderjariges se intensie om kontraseptiewes te gebruik en werklike kontraseptiewe gebruik ge'identifiseer en die verhoudings tussen die faktore is bepaal. 'n Ewekansige kwotasteekproef van 231 en 224 plattelandse skoolseuns en meisies ( 14 - 18 jaar) is betrek en die finale ondersoekgroep was 315 seksueel aktiewe tienderjariges. Volgens logitmodelontledings het die volgende veranderlikes 'n beduidende verband getoon met die intensie om van kontraseptiewes gebruik te maak: houding teenoor die gebruik van kontraseptiewes, persepsies van toeganklikheid tot kontraseptiewes en lokus van beheer. Veranderlikes wat 'n beduidende verband getoon het met werklike kontraseptiewe gebruik was geslag, kennis oor menslike reproduksie en kontraseptiewes, menings en houdings oor die gebruik daarvan, tradisionele waardeor'ientasies soos die bewys van fertiliteit voor die huwelik en gesinsgrootte, persepsies van sosiale ondersteuning vir kontraseptiewe gebruik asook persepsies van toeganklikheid tot kontraseptiewes. 'n Belangrike gevolgtrekking was dat daar 'n dringende behoefte bestaan na effektiewe seksuele voorligtingsprogramme en grater toeganklikheid tot kontraseptiewes. / Psychology / M.A.(Psychology)

The most widespread intervention in South Africa into the sexualities of young people is school based sexuality education. However there is a dearth of research in this area, and studies that have been conducted highlight major weaknesses with implementation. Research from Western countries indicates that the messages conveyed in sexuality education are resisted if they conflict with the desired sexual subjectivities of young people. This indicates a need for further research into desired youth sexualities, and school based sexuality education. While South African studies of young people‘s talk about sexualities have been conducted, there is a paucity of literature in this area from a discursive perspective. This study is situated within a feminist post-structuralist paradigm, utilising a performative-performance analytical approach which synthesises Butlerian theory with a narrative-discursive methodology. This approach enables an analysis of both the macro-discursive power webs within which sexualities are situated, and the micro-discursive activity through which sexual subject positions are constructed. I used this approach to analyse the talk of groups of students from a Further Education and Training College about the sexualities of High School learners and their own past sexuality education. Findings showed that that the most dominant discursive resources which were utilised to construct sexualities were societal sexual norms discourses. These foundational discourses constructed gendered sexualities of compulsory hyper-heterosex for men, and compulsory compliant girlfriendhood for women. Such gendered sexualities reinforced patriarchal and abusive gendered and sexual practices. Ways in which participants troubled the dominant gendered sexualities through the performance of alternative sexual positions were analysed, as these 'troubling' performances indicate mutable aspects of the normative gendered field. Participants drew on a discourse of disconnect when talking about their school sexuality education, and their parents‘ (lack of) communication with them about sex. This suggests that adultist attempts to construct a 'responsible' sexual subject position for young people are resisted when such a position is constructed in a non-relational manner. Collusion between the constructed gendered sexualities and the discourse of disconnect results in the un-performability of a 'responsible' sexual subject position. These findings were used to provide suggestions for enhancing school based sexuality interventions.

The researcher observed a high incidence of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and abortions, including illegal abortions among adolescents in the Maluti Sub-District in the Eastern Cape Province. The researcher noted when speaking to the adolescents about contraceptives that they appeared to have a lack of knowledge as well as some misconceptions about contraceptives. The study therefore explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents regarding contraceptives. To achieve the purpose of this study, a quantitative, explorative and descriptive survey was used to conduct this study. The research population in this study comprised all Grade 11 and 12 female adolescents enrolled at the selected senior secondary schools in the Maluti Sub-District. Simple random sampling was used to select the research sample. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used with the help of a statistician to analyse the data. A pilot study was conducted prior to the actual study being conducted, using the same design and research methods. The study findings revealed that participants had a low level of knowledge about contraceptive methods and there were some misconceptions regarding contraceptives prevailing among the participants. More than half (54%) of the participants are currently sexually active and less than a third of the participants indicated that they were using contraceptives The study concludes with recommendations for nursing practice, education and research. Ethical principles have been maintained throughout the study.

Orientador: Maria Coleta Ferreira Albino de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T14:02:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Borgato_NeivaMaria_M.pdf: 915381 bytes, checksum: 8696158447b9f47c07f7a10b18d5e462 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Os dados censitários mostram que, no Brasil desde 1980, as taxas específicas de fecundidade diminuíram em todos os grupos etários (considerando o período reprodutivo da mulher 15-49 anos), exceto no segmento de 15-19 anos. O tema da gravidez na adolescência ganhou espaço na pesquisa e na mídia. Contudo, seu tratamento é permeado por uma série de suposições e de preconceitos. A ideia de que essa faixa etária não é apropriada para a reprodução é o ponto de partida para muitos trabalhos. A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo principal analisar o contexto em que ocorre a gravidez entre os 15 e 19 anos. A partir dos dados da PNDS 2006, procuramos traçar um perfil das mulheres que engravidaram antes dos 20 anos. Para tanto abordamos temas como a iniciação sexual, o conhecimento dos métodos anticoncepcionais, o desejo e as percepções sobre a gravidez. Com o objetivo de investigar mais de perto as concepções de gênero e reprodução nesta faixa etária foi realizado também um trabalho de campo qualitativo entre os adolescentes do Programa de Atenção Integral a Saúde do Adolescente (PAISA), do município de Bragança Paulista (SP). Interessa avaliar os valores que estão em jogo no caso da gravidez considerada no senso comum - e até certo ponto pelas próprias adolescentes - como precoce / Abstract: Census data show that since 1980 the specific fertility rates in Brazil declined in all age groups (considering the reproductive period of women aged 15-49 years), except for the segment of 15-19 years. The issue of teenage pregnancy gained interest both from the media and from researchers. However, it is permeated by a series of assumptions and prejudices. The idea that this age group is not suitable for reproduction is the starting point for many analyses. This research aims to analyzing the context in which pregnancy occurs between 15 and 19 years. Based on 2006 PNDS data, we intend to outline a profile of women who became pregnant before the age of 20. For that we approach issues such as sexual initiation, knowledge of contraception, the desire and perceptions about pregnancy. A qualitative fieldwork among the adolescents of the Program of Integral Attention to Adolescent Health (Programa de Atenção Integral a Saúde do Adolescente - PAISA), in the city of Bragança Paulista (SP) has also been conducted. The intent was to investigate more closely the conceptions of gender and reproduction in this age group. To evaluate values at stake in the case of pregnancy considered as a too early experience both by common sense and, to some extent, by the very adolescents themselves has been a major interest / Mestrado / Demografia / Mestre em Demografia

M.Ed. / A great deal of concern is being expressed about the high teenage pregnancy rate as well as the leaping AIDS and sexual disease figures. There are programmes in place which aim to bring these numbers down, but it appears as if neither the abortion rate nor premarital sexual experimentation have been affected. This situation is cause for concern. The question thus arises - why have these programmes not made any headway on the statistics? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that most researchers have not asked the children themselves about their needs with regard to sex education. It is for this reason that this study has been undertaken. In this study a qualitative research method has been followed, where focus group interviews with Standard 7 pupils have been conducted. The original question posed by this researcher was as follows: "What are the needs of Standard 7 pupils with regard to sexual education and what guidelines could be suggested in order to provide a workable pupil-orientated education programme for high schools?" In turn, the posing of the above question led to the following aim: To gauge what the needs of Standard 7 pupils are with regard to sexual education in order to design guidelines for the development of a sex-education programme for high schools. The qualitative research which flowed from this is exploratory, descriptive and contextual. The analysis of the data indicate that there is a need for sexual education in schools, more than is at present available. Pupils would like this subject to be compulsory and that it be taught during stipulated times/periods. There is also a need for a cumulative curriculum in which enough time for discussions is allowed. The children believe that sexual education at school should be presented by a person whom they can trust. Boys and girls differ as to whether this person should be attached to the school or not. The girls are especially critical of the teacher as sex educator. The parent as sex educator has also been criticised. The children would prefer someone out of their peer group to guide them. They also feel that adequate training, openness and neutrality are important characteristics in a sex education specialist. The boys feel that this type of education should not be over-emphasised. Another need expressed is that the sex educator should work from a holistic perspective, thereby putting sex education in a natural context. The requirements with regard to the content of the sexual education programme include the following: knowledge of sexual responsibilities, as well as an understanding of anatomy and physiology, knowledge of the sexual act and premarital sex, as well as an understanding of pregnancy, rape and the way the opposite sex experiences sexuality The children also believe that the way sex is presented in the media should be put into perspective. Knowledge of deviant sexual behaviour, the availability of source material, for example where one would obtain a supply of contraceptives and where to go if one suspects that one is pregnant, are also needs which teenagers expressed with regard to programme content and sex education. From the study it became apparent that, even though the girls maintained that they all receive sex education at home, there are nevertheless many questions which still require addressing. A number of misconceptions were also apparent. Information which is highlighted by these themes and which is furthermore supported by the other research includes aspects such as parent and teacher involvement. A number of guidelines based on the themes identified by the analysis of the focus group interviews, have been developed for exposure and for possible use by compilers of sex education curriculi. A shortfall in this study has been identified and the following recommendations have been suggested: Further research should be undertaken as to the need for sex education o fpupils of other cultures and standards as well as the teachers' views about sex education.

The current study examined the relationships among attachment styles to parent, peer, and romantic partner, ability to regulate emotion, as well as engagement in sexual behaviors and substance use. Attachment theory and previous research suggests that an individual learns how to manage emotions through the modeling of appropriate techniques and a stable sense of self-worth. These two aspects develop through a secure attachment bond with an important figure. When an individual does not have a secure attachment bond in which to practice adaptive affect regulation strategies, he/she may attempt to manage emotions through external means, such as sexual behaviors or substance use. Overall, results supported these associations, with some notable exceptions. Across attachment sources a secure attachment style was related to lower levels of psychological distress and less engagement in substance use. In contrast to the findings from earlier studies, affect regulation did not mediate the relationship between attachment and substance use, and engagement in sexual behaviors was not significantly related to either attachment style or affect regulation.

Thesis (LLM. (Development and Management Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / In South Africa, the concept of virginity testing has been under the spotlight because of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 partially legalising it. Section 12 thereof, provides for the testing to be performed on both male and female children over the age of sixteen with their informed consent. It has also been revived as a Zulu custom which gained momentum in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This custom is, however, in contrast to the approach highlighted in the Act, since it targets only the girl child and mostly without her informed consent. Although a girl’s virginity is said to bring honour to her family, it also comes with inherent risks, since, in African societies, the myth that sex with a virgin, or a girl-child can cure AIDS, is prevalent. This dissertation examines, from a human rights perspective, the concept of virginity testing and related procedures/ provisions, the role and function of the virginity testers, as well as expectations/experience of the participants (the girls tested). The study asserts that the practice of virginity testing is a violation of human rights, strips the girl of her dignity, represents an invasion of bodily privacy and leads to degradation and humiliation. Virginity testing, according to this study, leads to limitation of rights and unfairly discriminates against the girls tested and cannot be justified in terms of the limitation clause, as provided by section 36 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. As part of the comparative study, the analysis of the position in Senegal, regarding the successful abolishment of a similar discriminatory cultural practice, provides lessons on how both the South African government and NGO’s can work towards law reform in order to address the problem of virginity testing.

This study described sexual behaviours among adolescents living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Zimbabwe. This study utilised a quantitative descriptive design. Data was collected using structured questionnaires from 341 adolescents living with HIV. Findings revealed that some adolescents were sexually active and had early onset of sexual activity (before their sixteenth birthday). A good proportion of sexually active adolescents were noted not to practise safer sex and the main reason was condom inaccessibility and some had multiple sex partners. Factors independently associated with being sexually active included exposure to erotic content on television programmes, having a psychiatric diagnosis, discussions of sexuality with health worker and older age. Adolescents` behaviours living with HIV and the issue of availability of condoms may play a part in the spread of HIV. More discussions and research on sexuality of adolescents are recommended / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Sexual behaviors in adolescence establish the initial resources an individual carries into sexual relationships in adulthood. Current definitions of sexual resilience in adolescence are defined from a negative, risk-based lens. Resilience theory, more generally defined, considers both internal and external factors that promote adaptation to challenging situations. A direct, capital-based approach to studying adolescent sexual resilience has not been found in the extant literature and I propose that a new, more inclusive definition of sexual resilience in adolescence will be more strongly correlated with sexual health in young adults than the risk-based definition. This study creates mutually exclusive risk-based and capital-based measures of adolescent sexual resilience and examines their associations with sexual health outcomes in young adulthood. The data did not produce significant findings, yet descriptive results provide direction for future research. Research in this area is of critical importance as adolescence and young adulthood are unique life stages that involve significant development in areas that influence health, both short and long term. This research, through a proper resilience lens, will better guide adolescent sexual education to develop internal resources as well as provide adequate external resources for adolescents that promote better sexual health and agency outcomes in adulthood.