Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages :

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Author: Barbara Dafoe Whitehead
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Sex
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description

Author: Mark D. Regnerus
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199744947
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 301

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Book Description
Americans remain deeply ambivalent about teenage sexuality. Many presume that such uneasiness is rooted in religion. But how exactly does religion contribute to the formation of teenagers' sexual values and actions? What difference, if any, does religion make in adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviors? Are abstinence pledges effective? What does it mean to be "emotionally ready" for sex? Who expresses regrets about their sexual activity and why? Tackling these and other questions, Forbidden Fruit tells the definitive story of the sexual values and practices of American teenagers, paying particular attention to how participating in organized religion shapes sexual decision-making. Merging analyses of three national surveys with stories drawn from interviews with over 250 teenagers across America, Mark Regnerus reviews how young people learn-and what they know-about sex from their parents, schools, peers and other sources. He examines what experiences teens profess to have had, and how they make sense of these experiences in light of their own identities as religious, moral, and responsible persons. Religion can and does matter, Regnerus finds, but religious claims are often swamped by other compelling sexual scripts. Particularly interesting is the emergence of what Regnerus calls a new middle class sexual morality which has little to do with a desire for virginity but nevertheless shuns intercourse in order to avoid risks associated with pregnancy and STDs. And strikingly, evangelical teens aren't less sexually active than their non-evangelical counterparts, they just tend to feel guiltier about it. In fact, Regnerus finds that few religious teens have internalized or are even able to articulate the sexual ethic taught by their denominations. The only-and largely ineffective-sexual message most religious teens are getting is, "Don't do it until you're married." Ultimately, Regnerus concludes, religion may influence adolescent sexual behavior, but it rarely motivates sexual decision making.

Author: Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309036984
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
More than 1 million teenage girls in the United States become pregnant each year; nearly half give birth. Why do these young people, who are hardly more than children themselves, become parents? This volume reviews in detail the trends in and consequences of teenage sexual behavior and offers thoughtful insights on the issues of sexual initiation, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and the well-being of adolescent families. It provides a systematic assessment of the impact of various programmatic approaches, both preventive and ameliorative, in light of the growing scientific understanding of the topic.

Author: Kristen Skenfield Marchi
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Author: Vered Slonim-Nevo
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birth control
Languages : en
Pages : 316

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Book Description

Author: Brittany Nicole Barber
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Hispanic American teenagers
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Researchers' examination of Latino adolescents' cultural values and sexual activity has yielded questions regarding the cultural- and gender-specific attitudes and practices in this area (Deardorff, Tschann, & Flores, 2008). Cultural values include family-related variables such as different aspects of familism, parent-adolescent communication, and parental monitoring, which have been found to decrease adolescents' engagement in other negative activities such as aggressive behavior, (Dishion & McMahon, 1998), substance use (Estrada, Rabow, & Watts, 1982), and juvenile delinquency (Clark & Shields, 1997). Research investigating these risk behaviors has often implicated Latino adolescents' level of assimilation to White, mainstream society as a potential risk factor for higher engagement in negative behaviors, emphasizing the importance of better understanding the cultural context in which Latino youth live and how it may impact their risky behavior. This dissertation study, therefore, examined the relationship between five Latino family variables (i.e., attitudinal familism, behavioral familism, structural familism, parent-adolescent communication, and parental monitoring), assimilation to White culture, and the sexual activity beliefs and behaviors of Latino adolescents. A mixed-methods project explored and tested the relationships between these variables. Four gender-specific focus groups were conducted with adolescents; data were analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Also, 410 Latino youth completed quantitative surveys about their family-related behaviors, attitudes, and sexual activity. Relationships among these variables were tested using correlations and regressions. Primary findings from the qualitative study indicated that gender differences in Latino families' communication about sex and monitoring behaviors impacts Latina girls' and Latino boys' sexual activity beliefs. Differences observed with regard to gender were such that Latina girls' felt sexual activity was not appropriate for teenagers, whereas the boys felt that it was acceptable for teenagers to engage in sexual activity as long as they used a contraceptive method. Quantitative results indicated parental monitoring and some aspects of familism were found to be related to a decreased likelihood of engaging in sexual activity for the girls and boys. High assimilation to White, mainstream culture was not found to impact sexual activity beliefs or behaviors in the current study.

Author: Committee on Unintended Pregnancy
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309556376
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 393

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Book Description
Experts estimate that nearly 60 percent of all U.S. pregnancies--and 81 percent of pregnancies among adolescents--are unintended. Yet the topic of preventing these unintended pregnancies has long been treated gingerly because of personal sensitivities and public controversies, especially the angry debate over abortion. Additionally, child welfare advocates long have overlooked the connection between pregnancy planning and the improved well-being of families and communities that results when children are wanted. Now, current issues--health care and welfare reform, and the new international focus on population--are drawing attention to the consequences of unintended pregnancy. In this climate The Best Intentions offers a timely exploration of family planning issues from a distinguished panel of experts. This committee sheds much-needed light on the questions and controversies surrounding unintended pregnancy. The book offers specific recommendations to put the United States on par with other developed nations in terms of contraceptive attitudes and policies, and it considers the effectiveness of over 20 pregnancy prevention programs. The Best Intentions explores problematic definitions--"unintended" versus "unwanted" versus "mistimed"--and presents data on pregnancy rates and trends. The book also summarizes the health and social consequences of unintended pregnancies, for both men and women, and for the children they bear. Why does unintended pregnancy occur? In discussions of "reasons behind the rates," the book examines Americans' ambivalence about sexuality and the many other social, cultural, religious, and economic factors that affect our approach to contraception. The committee explores the complicated web of peer pressure, life aspirations, and notions of romance that shape an individual's decisions about sex, contraception, and pregnancy. And the book looks at such practical issues as the attitudes of doctors toward birth control and the place of contraception in both health insurance and "managed care." The Best Intentions offers frank discussion, synthesis of data, and policy recommendations on one of today's most sensitive social topics. This book will be important to policymakers, health and social service personnel, foundation executives, opinion leaders, researchers, and concerned individuals. May

Author: Susan Peterson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Decision making
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The purpose of this descriptive study was to review and critically analyze previously published research literature in order to determine the relationship between a teenager's sexual behavior and his or her religious beliefs, convictions, and involvement. Specifically the first question answered was, how do teen religious beliefs and involvement affect sexual decision making and sexual involvement? The literature suggested that a deep, personal relationship with God does affect sexual decision making for a lot of teenagers, but not all. In response to the second research question (how does religiosity affect contraceptive use, pregnancy rates, and STI rates?) it was discovered that teenagers who do profess a high level of religion often do not use effective forms of contraception. Lastly, the final research question asked about the relationship between family and friend's religiosity and the student's decision to become sexually active or to remain abstinent. It was found that highly religious peers and family members do largely affect the teen's decision to remain abstinent. As a result of this research, school counselors will better be able to advocate for healthy sexual decision making of adolescents.

Author: Keyona Jarrett
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Acculturation
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This mixed methods study examined the influences of acculturation (e.g., assimilation and enculturation), marianismo, and ethnic identity on the sexual behaviors and attitudes of Latina adolescents. In the quantitative portion of the study, 204 Latina adolescents completed measures regarding acculturation, gender roles, ethnic identity, and sexual behaviors. In the qualitative portion of the study, three focus groups were conducted (with a total of 10 participants) in which Latina youth were asked questions regarding their ethnic group membership and its influence on their attitudes about sex. The results of the quantitative portion of the study revealed that ethnic affirmation was negatively associated with the variable "ever had sex." Ethnic affirmation was positively associated with contraception use at first sexual intercourse and ethnic identity achievement was positively associated with age of first sexual intercourse. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between ethnic affirmation and assimilation for age at first sexual intercourse, such that participants who reported high levels of assimilation and low levels of ethnic affirmation reported a younger age of first sexual intercourse than those who reported a high level of assimilation and a high level of ethnic affirmation. The qualitative results revealed that the participants live in a cultural context characterized by ethnic pride and biculturalism. Experiences of discrimination, awareness of negative stereotypes, and bicultural difficulties are also important aspects of the cultural context of the Latina youth. The cultural context of these adolescents helped to shape their sexual attitudes. The core sexual attitude expressed by the majority of the Latina youth was that marriage is a necessary condition for them to engage in sexual activity. The qualitative results also revealed how gender roles, cultural differences, family values, personal knowledge, peer pressure, and stressors/abuse shape the core sexual attitude of the Latina adolescents. Specifically gender roles, cultural differences, family values, and personal knowledge discouraged them from engaging in sexual activity, while peer pressure and stressors/abuse encouraged them to engage in sexual activity. Convergence and divergence between the qualitative and quantitative data are identified and explained. Limitations and implications of the current study and future directions are also discussed.