Identifying factors related to adolescent sexual activity is an important
issue for health care, education, and public policy. This research explores the
idea that sexual identity relates to adolescent sexual activity and the riskiness of
the behavior. Sexual identity is composed of many factors, including self-esteem,
sexual self-efficacy, body image, and social isolation. As well, the
development of sexual identity is related to age and familial relations.
From a symbolic interaction perspective, the formation of sexual identity
occurs through the creation of highly subjective symbols or meanings assigned
to sexuality. Riskier sexual behaviors seem to occur predominantly in
adolescence, and understanding the meanings associated with sexual identity
may help to explain why. It was hypothesized that adolescent sexual identity
would be related to whether or not adolescents had participated in sexual activity
and if they had, whether such activity was safer or riskier.
The data, collected from 2,373 7th through 12th graders, were part of a
community-based program in a rural northwest community. Participants were
divided into three groups based upon their sexual activity status of abstaining
behavior, safer behavior, or riskier behavior. Group membership was
determined utilizing measures of birth control use, sexually transmitted disease
history, and pregnancy experience. Discriminating variables included self-esteem,
sexual self-efficacy, body image, social isolation, parental monitoring,
and age.
Analysis revealed significant sex differences on all six discriminating
variables. Stepwise discriminant function analysis found age, parental
monitoring, and sexual self-efficacy to be significant contributors to the model for
both sexes. The discriminant function classification, utilizing all six variables,
correctly classified 93% of both females and males, illuminating the significance
of sexual identity in discriminating among the groups. Older adolescents with an
increased sense of sexual identity and parents who monitor their behavior, may
be more inclined to participate in safer sexual behaviors.
The development of sexual identity is a culmination of cognitive, affective,
and behavioral processes that together help the individual see her/himself as a
sexual person. The research presented here provides insight into the sexual
identity of adolescents. Such knowledge may be beneficial in designing
sexuality education programs designed to facilitate positive, well-developed
sexual identity. / Graduation date: 1995
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/35174 |
| Date | 07 March 1995 |
| Creators | Greaves, Kathleen M. |
| Contributors | Zvonkovic, Anisa M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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