Psychological Reports, 1990, 66, 1179-1184
O Psychological Reports 1990
CORRELATES O F ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR ' SALVATORE CULLARI AND ROBERT MIKUS Lebanon Valley College Summary.-116 Catholic (50 9th graders and 66 12th graders) and 92 public high school students (52 9th graders and 40 12th graders) completed questionnaires concerning sexual knowledge and information about sexual activity. Analysis indicates that 33% of the Catholic and 73% of the public 12th graders had previous sexual experience. The Catholic school 12th graders had significantly higher scores on a sex knowledge test than the public school students, however, there were no significant correlations between these scores and sexual activity for either school. The facton that students said encouraged sexual experimentation included curiosity, need for love, and peer pressure, while the factors that discouraged these behaviors were fear of pregnancy and sexually transmissible diseases. Fear of contracting AIDS and religious beliefs did not strongly influence sexual behavior.
Two of the major social problems in our country are teenage pregnancies and the AIDS epidemic. Concerning the first problem, it is estimated that one million teenagers become pregnant each year, resulting in 600,000 newborns and 400,000 abortions. The direct financial cost of these pregnancies to our society is estimated to be about $17 billion dollars per year (Frost, McCluskey-Fawcett, & Sharp, 1989), and of course the psychological effects are impossible to measure. The AIDS epidemic has thus far seemingly not spread to the adolescent population. A study published several years ago suggests that only a few hundred teenage AIDS cases have been diagnosed in our country (Heim, 1987), and more recent unpublished estimates indicate that only about 1500 teenagers have tested positive for the HIV virus. However, young people as a rule do not seek out health services on a regular basis so these numbers may be gross underestimates (Heim, 1987). In addition, some of the sexual practices of teenagers such as frequency of sex partners and irregular use of contraceptives make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. In fact, some researchers suggest that without significant changes in the sexual practices of adolescents, the prevalence of HIV infection in the United States could rise to as high as 10% of the population (Bowie & Ford, 1989). To help change the sexual habits of adolescents it may be necessary to first better understand the factors that influence this behavior. This task has been ongoing for many years, and a great deal of information has been published; however, there are problems with some of the older studies. For
'Address correspondence to Salvatore Cullari, Psychology Department, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA 17003.
1180
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
example, many were done with college-age samples (Miller & Olson, 1988). Since most teenagers are already sexually active by the time they reach college (Bowie & Ford, 1989), it may be too late to make significant changes in sexual attitudes or prevent infection with the H I V virus. I n addition, the AIDS epidemic may have had a significant effect on adolescents' sexual behavior, so that much of the information found in older studies may no longer be valid. Therefore, the present study was carried out to obtain information with a current young teenage sample. Previous research has already identified a number of factors that seem to be correlated with adolescents' sexual behavior. These include age, amount of sexual knowledge, family living arrangement, religious beliefs, where one obtains information about sexual matters and others (Miller & Olson, 1988). This study reexamines these and related factors. METHOD Subjects One hundred sixteen students from an urban Catholic high school in southeastern Pennsylvania and 92 students from a suburban ~ u b l i chigh school in south-central Pennsylvania served as subjects. In both schools, 85% of the students involved in the study were white, and most students could be best described as of middle-class background. The students were members of four randomly selected 9th and 12th grade classes from each of the schools. Both schools required sex education for all students, which was taught as part of a health class. The ninth graders of the Catholic school were made up of 29 girls and 21 boys (n = 501, and the public school ninth graders were divided into 25 girls and 27 boys (n = 52). The twelfth grade students included 36 girls and 30 boys (n = 66) in the Catholic school and 20 girls and 20 boys in the public school (n = 40). Procedure
Each of the students was asked to complete two questionnaires. The fust questionnaire2 was developed by the authors and included 15 questions pertaining to demographic information and sexual habits. The second questionnaire was Part I11 of the Sex Knowledge Inventory (SKI), Form Y (McHugh & McHugh, 1977). This test consists of 48 words covering various aspects of sexual behavior (such as coitus, vulva, and semen) along with 40 one-sentence definitions. The task is to match the words with the correct definition. Each student receives 2.5 points for each correct match (100 is maximum score). These scores were used as a measure of the sexual knowledge of the students. After obtaining permission from the schools to conduct the study, one teacher from each school administered the questionnaires to all four classes. Each student was asked to complete the questionnaks voluntarily and anonymously, with the stipulation that the answers would be seen only by the authors who were not associated with the schools in any way. After completing the two questionnaires, they were enclosed in an envelope by the students, sealed and returned to the teacher. These were then opened by the authors.
RESULTSAND DISCUSSION The mean scores on the knowledge test for the 9th and 12th grades of 'On Fie in Document NAPS-04778. Remit $10.15 for photocopy or $4.00 for fiche to Microfiche Publications, POB 3513, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017.
ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
1181
the Catholic school, respectively, were 68.6 and 86.0 (Mdns were 70 and 90) and for the public school 69.8 and 78.4 (Mdns were 69 and 78). The scores of the Catholic 12th graders were significantly higher than the 12th grade public school (t,,, = 3.47, pc.01). This suggests that the Catholic school 12th graders are more knowledgeable about sexual matters than their public school counterparts. Over-all, 24% of the Catholic students had engaged in sexual intercourse (15 did not respond to this question) as opposed to 48% of the public school (4 nonresponders; = 10.85, p < .01, d b for all chi-squared tests are one unless noted otherwise). In looking at sex differences, the sexually experienced students in the Catholic school were 14 boys and 13 girls (x2= .89, p>.05) and in the public school, 24 boys and 20 girls (x2= .40, p>.05). These chi-squared tables were based on the frequencies of boys and girls who did and did not report sexual experience. At least for this sample there were no significant differences in sexual activity between sexes, which is a change from previous studies (Ostrov, Offer, Howard, Kaufman, & Meyer, 1985). Combining data from the 12th grades of the Catholic and public school shows that 51 of the 106 students (48%) are sexually active, which is consistent with other studies (Frost, McCluskey-Fawcett, & Sharp, 1989). Sexually active students include 10% of the 9th grade Catholic school (n = 5) and 33% of the 12th graders (n = 22), as compared to 29% of the 9th graders (n = 15) and 73% of the 12th grade public school (n = 29). When asked if it was "OK" to engage in sex, 26% of the 9th grade (n = 13) and 70% of the 12th grade students from the Catholic school (n = 46) said "yes" compared to 54% (n = 28) and 80% (n = 32) of the public school. The distribution of responses to this question was significantly different between schools for the 9th grades (x2= 8.86, p < .01) but not for the 12th grades (x2= 2.85, p > .05). Fifty percent of the 9th (n = 25) and 73% of the 12th grade (n = 48) Catholic school students believe sex before marriage is acceptable, as compared to 65% and 87% of the 9th (n = 34) and 12th graders (n = 35) in public school. The distributions of responses to this question were not significantly different between schools for either 9th or 12th grades (2= 2.47 for the 9th grade and 2.39 for 12th grade, p > .05). The mean age of first sexual experience for both grades of the Catholic school was 15.1 yr. and 14.9 yr. for the public school, with an age range of 12 to 17 yr. in both schools. This difference was not statistically significant (t,, = .58, p > 5 ) . Interestingly, when scores of both grades are combined, there is a significant positive Pearson product-moment correlation (.423, p < .05) between the knowledge scores and age of first sexual experience for the Catholic school. However, when the grades are separated, the correlations are -.305 for the 12th graders and -. 15 for the 9th graders, neither of which are statistically significant. The initial results are very likely due to the
1182
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
effect of combining groups with different means when computing a correlation (McCall, 1986). In the public school, the correlation of knowledge scores and ages at first sexual experience was -.08 for the 9th grade and -.05 for the 12th grade. A point-biserial correlation was computed between knowledge scores and whether the student was sexually experienced or not. In the 9th grade of the Catholic school, a significant negative correlation was found (-.372, p < .05). However, since only five students in this group had had sexual experience, these results are questionable. The same correlation computed for the 12th grade Catholic school was ,026, and correlations between knowledge scores and sexual experience for the 9th and 12th grades of the public school were -.075 and -.068. Taken as a whole, these data do not suggest any significant correlation between amount of sexual knowledge and having had at least one sexual experience. The relationship between sexual behavior and living arrangements was also evaluated. For the Catholic school students who did have sexual experience, 22% (n = 6 , 3 boys, 3 girls) lived in a one-parent household, 74% (n = 20, 10 boys, 10 girls) lived in a two-parents household, and one response was "other" (1 boy). The results for sexually experienced subjects in public school were 25% (n = 11, 5 boys, 6 girls) living in a one-parent household, 59% (n = 26, 15 boys, 11 girls) living in a two-parent household, and 16% (n = 7, 4 boys, 3 girls) giving an "other" response. Chi-squared was computed on the frequencies of students who did and did not have sexual experience and the three living arrangements. The results were not statistifor Catholic school = .76, and 4.32 cally significant for either school for public school, p > .05). These results contrast with those of a previous study, suggesting that teenagers who live with both parents are less likely to engage in sexual intercourse than other teenagers (Ostrov, Offer, Howard, Kaufman, & Meyer, 1985). In response to the question, "What factors encourage engaging in sexual intercourse at your age," the most frequent response in the Catholic school was curiosity" (30%), followed by "need to feel loved" (23%), and peer pressure (20951) In the public school, "peer pressure" was the most frequent response (38%), followed by "curiosity" (22%), and "need to feel loved" (15%). Since some students gave more than one response to this question, a chi-squared test could not be done. Reported percentages are based on the total number of responses obtained. In response to the question "What factors discourage sexual intercourse at your age," the most frequent response in the Catholic school was "fear of pregnancy" (39%), followed by "fear of sexually transmissible diseases" (not including AIDS) 24%, and "values" 13%. Fear of AIDS was the second to last most frequent response (10%). In the public school, the responses were,
(Xt
'6
ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
1183
in order of frequency, "fear of pregnancy" (40%), "fear of STD" (30%), and "fear of AIDS (16%). As can be seen, fear of getting AIDS does not yet seem to be a significant factor in discouraging sexual intercourse in either school system. In addition, since "fear of pregnancy" was the most frequent response in both schools, it raises the question of the availability of contraceptives for these students, which may have some implications for teenage pregnancies as well as AIDS. Again, a chi-squared test could not be done because some multiple answers were given. The students were also asked what role religion has in the decision to engage in sexual intercourse. In the Catholic school, 15% ((n = 17) of all students said "none," 64% (n = 74) "a small role," and 20% (n = 24) "a large role" (there was one "no response"). In the public school, the frequencies of responses were similar, with 19% (n = 18) responding "none," 57% (n = 52) "a small role," 23% (n = 21) "a large role" (one student did not respond, X 2 2 = 1.29, p > .05). O n the source from which students obtain information about sex, among Catholic students the most frequent responses were "peers" (38%), followed by "parents" (20%), and "outside sources" (books, magazines, TV; 16%). Formal sex education classes was the least frequent response (12%). In the public schools, the most frequent responses were "parents" (27%), "peers" (25%), and "formal sex education classes" (20%). The perception of students in both schools is that they obtain most of their information about sex from sources other than sex education classes. Although the results of this study are somewhat mixed, they raise a number of questions about the role of sex education in our schools. For example, a recent study (Frost, et al., 1989) suggests that government funding is biased towards programs that promote abstinence. I t is clear from the results of this and other studies that knowledge about sexual matters alone does not reduce the sexual activity of adolescents, and most indications are that this goal would be difficult to reach, especially with older teenagers. Secondly, despite all the attention given to AIDS over the past few years, it does not appear that young people have changed their sexual behavior in response to this epidemic. Looking at a related issue, the reasons for the differences in sexual experience between the Catholic and public school are not clear. For each grade the public school had significantly more students who had experienced sexual intercourse than the Catholic school. However, the number of students who believe it acceptable to engage in sex is approximately the same in both schools. Similarly, the response to the question regarding religion was virtually the same for both schools, as were the factors that encourage sexual experimentation (e.g., curiosity and need for love/affection). One major difference between schools was that peer pressure to engage in sex seemed to -
-
1184
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
be much stronger in the public school, which makes sense given the large number of students with sexual experience. Another difference was in the factors that discourage sexual intercourse. Although fear of pregnancy or of sexually transmissible diseases are given as major deterrents to sexual activity in both schools, the role of "values" was given twice as often by Catholic students. However, public school students may be more likely to admit having sexual experience (e.g., 15 nonrespondents in Catholic school). T h s may mean that the actual differences are not as great. The relatively high frequency of students who admit to having sexual experiences, especially in the public school, suggest that we may need to change both the type of interventions that attempt to influence sexual behavior and goals of the interventions. For example, in settings where the rate of sexual activity is likely to be high (the public school in this study), it may be beneficial to focus on the use of contraceptives or methods that help students maintain independence and not be overly influenced by peer pressure. Secondly, if factors such as value systems and need for affection are important determinants of sexual behaviors, we may need to start programs at a much earlier age or with the families. I t may also mean shifting this task from the educational system (at least partly) to some other institution, using mass communication, and using novel intervention strategies. It is clear that adolescents' sexual behavior is very complex, and much more research is needed. For example, this study did not address differences among ethnic groups or socioeconomic factors. I t is also clear that current methods designed to change the sexual habits of young persons are largely ineffective and that new approaches are needed. REFERENCES BOWIE, C., & FORD,N. (1989) Sexual behavior of young people and the risk of HIV infection. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 43, 61-65. FROST,H . L., MCCLUSKEY-FAWCETT, K., & SHARP,J. A. (1989) Adolescent sexual behavior: a model for behavioral strategies. The Behavior Therapist, 12, 239-242. HEIM, K. (1987) AIDS in adolescents: a rationale for concern. New York State Journal of Medicine, 87, 290-295. MCCALL, R. B. (1986) Fundamental statistics for behavioral sciences. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. MCHUGH,G., & MCHUGH,T. G. (1977) Sex Knowledge Inventory-Form Y Saluda, NC: Family Life h b l . M ~ L EB. R ,C., & OLSON,T. D. (1988) Sexual attitudes and behavior of high school students in relation to background and contextual factors. Journal ofsex Research, 24, 194-200. OSTROV, E., OFFER, D., HOWARD,K. I., KAUFMAN, B., & MEYER,H. (1985) Adolescent sexual behavior. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, 19, 28-36.
Accepted May 15, 1790.
O Psychological Reports 1990
CORRELATES O F ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR ' SALVATORE CULLARI AND ROBERT MIKUS Lebanon Valley College Summary.-116 Catholic (50 9th graders and 66 12th graders) and 92 public high school students (52 9th graders and 40 12th graders) completed questionnaires concerning sexual knowledge and information about sexual activity. Analysis indicates that 33% of the Catholic and 73% of the public 12th graders had previous sexual experience. The Catholic school 12th graders had significantly higher scores on a sex knowledge test than the public school students, however, there were no significant correlations between these scores and sexual activity for either school. The facton that students said encouraged sexual experimentation included curiosity, need for love, and peer pressure, while the factors that discouraged these behaviors were fear of pregnancy and sexually transmissible diseases. Fear of contracting AIDS and religious beliefs did not strongly influence sexual behavior.
Two of the major social problems in our country are teenage pregnancies and the AIDS epidemic. Concerning the first problem, it is estimated that one million teenagers become pregnant each year, resulting in 600,000 newborns and 400,000 abortions. The direct financial cost of these pregnancies to our society is estimated to be about $17 billion dollars per year (Frost, McCluskey-Fawcett, & Sharp, 1989), and of course the psychological effects are impossible to measure. The AIDS epidemic has thus far seemingly not spread to the adolescent population. A study published several years ago suggests that only a few hundred teenage AIDS cases have been diagnosed in our country (Heim, 1987), and more recent unpublished estimates indicate that only about 1500 teenagers have tested positive for the HIV virus. However, young people as a rule do not seek out health services on a regular basis so these numbers may be gross underestimates (Heim, 1987). In addition, some of the sexual practices of teenagers such as frequency of sex partners and irregular use of contraceptives make them particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. In fact, some researchers suggest that without significant changes in the sexual practices of adolescents, the prevalence of HIV infection in the United States could rise to as high as 10% of the population (Bowie & Ford, 1989). To help change the sexual habits of adolescents it may be necessary to first better understand the factors that influence this behavior. This task has been ongoing for many years, and a great deal of information has been published; however, there are problems with some of the older studies. For
'Address correspondence to Salvatore Cullari, Psychology Department, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA 17003.
1180
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
example, many were done with college-age samples (Miller & Olson, 1988). Since most teenagers are already sexually active by the time they reach college (Bowie & Ford, 1989), it may be too late to make significant changes in sexual attitudes or prevent infection with the H I V virus. I n addition, the AIDS epidemic may have had a significant effect on adolescents' sexual behavior, so that much of the information found in older studies may no longer be valid. Therefore, the present study was carried out to obtain information with a current young teenage sample. Previous research has already identified a number of factors that seem to be correlated with adolescents' sexual behavior. These include age, amount of sexual knowledge, family living arrangement, religious beliefs, where one obtains information about sexual matters and others (Miller & Olson, 1988). This study reexamines these and related factors. METHOD Subjects One hundred sixteen students from an urban Catholic high school in southeastern Pennsylvania and 92 students from a suburban ~ u b l i chigh school in south-central Pennsylvania served as subjects. In both schools, 85% of the students involved in the study were white, and most students could be best described as of middle-class background. The students were members of four randomly selected 9th and 12th grade classes from each of the schools. Both schools required sex education for all students, which was taught as part of a health class. The ninth graders of the Catholic school were made up of 29 girls and 21 boys (n = 501, and the public school ninth graders were divided into 25 girls and 27 boys (n = 52). The twelfth grade students included 36 girls and 30 boys (n = 66) in the Catholic school and 20 girls and 20 boys in the public school (n = 40). Procedure
Each of the students was asked to complete two questionnaires. The fust questionnaire2 was developed by the authors and included 15 questions pertaining to demographic information and sexual habits. The second questionnaire was Part I11 of the Sex Knowledge Inventory (SKI), Form Y (McHugh & McHugh, 1977). This test consists of 48 words covering various aspects of sexual behavior (such as coitus, vulva, and semen) along with 40 one-sentence definitions. The task is to match the words with the correct definition. Each student receives 2.5 points for each correct match (100 is maximum score). These scores were used as a measure of the sexual knowledge of the students. After obtaining permission from the schools to conduct the study, one teacher from each school administered the questionnaires to all four classes. Each student was asked to complete the questionnaks voluntarily and anonymously, with the stipulation that the answers would be seen only by the authors who were not associated with the schools in any way. After completing the two questionnaires, they were enclosed in an envelope by the students, sealed and returned to the teacher. These were then opened by the authors.
RESULTSAND DISCUSSION The mean scores on the knowledge test for the 9th and 12th grades of 'On Fie in Document NAPS-04778. Remit $10.15 for photocopy or $4.00 for fiche to Microfiche Publications, POB 3513, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017.
ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
1181
the Catholic school, respectively, were 68.6 and 86.0 (Mdns were 70 and 90) and for the public school 69.8 and 78.4 (Mdns were 69 and 78). The scores of the Catholic 12th graders were significantly higher than the 12th grade public school (t,,, = 3.47, pc.01). This suggests that the Catholic school 12th graders are more knowledgeable about sexual matters than their public school counterparts. Over-all, 24% of the Catholic students had engaged in sexual intercourse (15 did not respond to this question) as opposed to 48% of the public school (4 nonresponders; = 10.85, p < .01, d b for all chi-squared tests are one unless noted otherwise). In looking at sex differences, the sexually experienced students in the Catholic school were 14 boys and 13 girls (x2= .89, p>.05) and in the public school, 24 boys and 20 girls (x2= .40, p>.05). These chi-squared tables were based on the frequencies of boys and girls who did and did not report sexual experience. At least for this sample there were no significant differences in sexual activity between sexes, which is a change from previous studies (Ostrov, Offer, Howard, Kaufman, & Meyer, 1985). Combining data from the 12th grades of the Catholic and public school shows that 51 of the 106 students (48%) are sexually active, which is consistent with other studies (Frost, McCluskey-Fawcett, & Sharp, 1989). Sexually active students include 10% of the 9th grade Catholic school (n = 5) and 33% of the 12th graders (n = 22), as compared to 29% of the 9th graders (n = 15) and 73% of the 12th grade public school (n = 29). When asked if it was "OK" to engage in sex, 26% of the 9th grade (n = 13) and 70% of the 12th grade students from the Catholic school (n = 46) said "yes" compared to 54% (n = 28) and 80% (n = 32) of the public school. The distribution of responses to this question was significantly different between schools for the 9th grades (x2= 8.86, p < .01) but not for the 12th grades (x2= 2.85, p > .05). Fifty percent of the 9th (n = 25) and 73% of the 12th grade (n = 48) Catholic school students believe sex before marriage is acceptable, as compared to 65% and 87% of the 9th (n = 34) and 12th graders (n = 35) in public school. The distributions of responses to this question were not significantly different between schools for either 9th or 12th grades (2= 2.47 for the 9th grade and 2.39 for 12th grade, p > .05). The mean age of first sexual experience for both grades of the Catholic school was 15.1 yr. and 14.9 yr. for the public school, with an age range of 12 to 17 yr. in both schools. This difference was not statistically significant (t,, = .58, p > 5 ) . Interestingly, when scores of both grades are combined, there is a significant positive Pearson product-moment correlation (.423, p < .05) between the knowledge scores and age of first sexual experience for the Catholic school. However, when the grades are separated, the correlations are -.305 for the 12th graders and -. 15 for the 9th graders, neither of which are statistically significant. The initial results are very likely due to the
1182
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
effect of combining groups with different means when computing a correlation (McCall, 1986). In the public school, the correlation of knowledge scores and ages at first sexual experience was -.08 for the 9th grade and -.05 for the 12th grade. A point-biserial correlation was computed between knowledge scores and whether the student was sexually experienced or not. In the 9th grade of the Catholic school, a significant negative correlation was found (-.372, p < .05). However, since only five students in this group had had sexual experience, these results are questionable. The same correlation computed for the 12th grade Catholic school was ,026, and correlations between knowledge scores and sexual experience for the 9th and 12th grades of the public school were -.075 and -.068. Taken as a whole, these data do not suggest any significant correlation between amount of sexual knowledge and having had at least one sexual experience. The relationship between sexual behavior and living arrangements was also evaluated. For the Catholic school students who did have sexual experience, 22% (n = 6 , 3 boys, 3 girls) lived in a one-parent household, 74% (n = 20, 10 boys, 10 girls) lived in a two-parents household, and one response was "other" (1 boy). The results for sexually experienced subjects in public school were 25% (n = 11, 5 boys, 6 girls) living in a one-parent household, 59% (n = 26, 15 boys, 11 girls) living in a two-parent household, and 16% (n = 7, 4 boys, 3 girls) giving an "other" response. Chi-squared was computed on the frequencies of students who did and did not have sexual experience and the three living arrangements. The results were not statistifor Catholic school = .76, and 4.32 cally significant for either school for public school, p > .05). These results contrast with those of a previous study, suggesting that teenagers who live with both parents are less likely to engage in sexual intercourse than other teenagers (Ostrov, Offer, Howard, Kaufman, & Meyer, 1985). In response to the question, "What factors encourage engaging in sexual intercourse at your age," the most frequent response in the Catholic school was curiosity" (30%), followed by "need to feel loved" (23%), and peer pressure (20951) In the public school, "peer pressure" was the most frequent response (38%), followed by "curiosity" (22%), and "need to feel loved" (15%). Since some students gave more than one response to this question, a chi-squared test could not be done. Reported percentages are based on the total number of responses obtained. In response to the question "What factors discourage sexual intercourse at your age," the most frequent response in the Catholic school was "fear of pregnancy" (39%), followed by "fear of sexually transmissible diseases" (not including AIDS) 24%, and "values" 13%. Fear of AIDS was the second to last most frequent response (10%). In the public school, the responses were,
(Xt
'6
ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
1183
in order of frequency, "fear of pregnancy" (40%), "fear of STD" (30%), and "fear of AIDS (16%). As can be seen, fear of getting AIDS does not yet seem to be a significant factor in discouraging sexual intercourse in either school system. In addition, since "fear of pregnancy" was the most frequent response in both schools, it raises the question of the availability of contraceptives for these students, which may have some implications for teenage pregnancies as well as AIDS. Again, a chi-squared test could not be done because some multiple answers were given. The students were also asked what role religion has in the decision to engage in sexual intercourse. In the Catholic school, 15% ((n = 17) of all students said "none," 64% (n = 74) "a small role," and 20% (n = 24) "a large role" (there was one "no response"). In the public school, the frequencies of responses were similar, with 19% (n = 18) responding "none," 57% (n = 52) "a small role," 23% (n = 21) "a large role" (one student did not respond, X 2 2 = 1.29, p > .05). O n the source from which students obtain information about sex, among Catholic students the most frequent responses were "peers" (38%), followed by "parents" (20%), and "outside sources" (books, magazines, TV; 16%). Formal sex education classes was the least frequent response (12%). In the public schools, the most frequent responses were "parents" (27%), "peers" (25%), and "formal sex education classes" (20%). The perception of students in both schools is that they obtain most of their information about sex from sources other than sex education classes. Although the results of this study are somewhat mixed, they raise a number of questions about the role of sex education in our schools. For example, a recent study (Frost, et al., 1989) suggests that government funding is biased towards programs that promote abstinence. I t is clear from the results of this and other studies that knowledge about sexual matters alone does not reduce the sexual activity of adolescents, and most indications are that this goal would be difficult to reach, especially with older teenagers. Secondly, despite all the attention given to AIDS over the past few years, it does not appear that young people have changed their sexual behavior in response to this epidemic. Looking at a related issue, the reasons for the differences in sexual experience between the Catholic and public school are not clear. For each grade the public school had significantly more students who had experienced sexual intercourse than the Catholic school. However, the number of students who believe it acceptable to engage in sex is approximately the same in both schools. Similarly, the response to the question regarding religion was virtually the same for both schools, as were the factors that encourage sexual experimentation (e.g., curiosity and need for love/affection). One major difference between schools was that peer pressure to engage in sex seemed to -
-
1184
S. CULLARI & R. MIKUS
be much stronger in the public school, which makes sense given the large number of students with sexual experience. Another difference was in the factors that discourage sexual intercourse. Although fear of pregnancy or of sexually transmissible diseases are given as major deterrents to sexual activity in both schools, the role of "values" was given twice as often by Catholic students. However, public school students may be more likely to admit having sexual experience (e.g., 15 nonrespondents in Catholic school). T h s may mean that the actual differences are not as great. The relatively high frequency of students who admit to having sexual experiences, especially in the public school, suggest that we may need to change both the type of interventions that attempt to influence sexual behavior and goals of the interventions. For example, in settings where the rate of sexual activity is likely to be high (the public school in this study), it may be beneficial to focus on the use of contraceptives or methods that help students maintain independence and not be overly influenced by peer pressure. Secondly, if factors such as value systems and need for affection are important determinants of sexual behaviors, we may need to start programs at a much earlier age or with the families. I t may also mean shifting this task from the educational system (at least partly) to some other institution, using mass communication, and using novel intervention strategies. It is clear that adolescents' sexual behavior is very complex, and much more research is needed. For example, this study did not address differences among ethnic groups or socioeconomic factors. I t is also clear that current methods designed to change the sexual habits of young persons are largely ineffective and that new approaches are needed. REFERENCES BOWIE, C., & FORD,N. (1989) Sexual behavior of young people and the risk of HIV infection. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 43, 61-65. FROST,H . L., MCCLUSKEY-FAWCETT, K., & SHARP,J. A. (1989) Adolescent sexual behavior: a model for behavioral strategies. The Behavior Therapist, 12, 239-242. HEIM, K. (1987) AIDS in adolescents: a rationale for concern. New York State Journal of Medicine, 87, 290-295. MCCALL, R. B. (1986) Fundamental statistics for behavioral sciences. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. MCHUGH,G., & MCHUGH,T. G. (1977) Sex Knowledge Inventory-Form Y Saluda, NC: Family Life h b l . M ~ L EB. R ,C., & OLSON,T. D. (1988) Sexual attitudes and behavior of high school students in relation to background and contextual factors. Journal ofsex Research, 24, 194-200. OSTROV, E., OFFER, D., HOWARD,K. I., KAUFMAN, B., & MEYER,H. (1985) Adolescent sexual behavior. Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, 19, 28-36.
Accepted May 15, 1790.
