Presents a descriptive analysis of couple communication among stable, sexually active adolescent couples (N=83) and the effect of communication on actual contraceptive practices. Results showed couples with good communication were more likely to practice effective contraception. (BH)

Investigated unmarried young adults' (N=283) contraceptive behaviors and attitudes. Results suggest that effective contraceptive behavior associated most strongly with respondents' perceiving relatively few barriers to their use of contraception, their maintenance of extensive interpersonal skills, and their regarding peer norms as consistent with…

Pregnant adolescent students were less likely than nulligravid students to employ or plan to use contraceptives. They more often expressed a desire for a pregnancy and described their boyfriends as happy about the pregnancy. Nulligravid youngsters described their parents as more disapproving of their premarital sexual activity. (Author/RH)

Examined personal values and sexual and contraceptive experiences of 75 male and 88 female high school students from a rural county of New York. Results suggested that religiosity was unrelated to students' sexual behavior and use of contraceptives. The different groups of high school students exhibited remarkably homogeneous sexual and…

Conducted 2 studies to explore prevalence of adolescence pregnancy in Guatemala and identify level of contraception. In first study found 89 percent of male and 38 percent of female adolescents (N=850) had experienced coitus. In the second study found pregnancy rate of minors (N=551) in a gynecology clinic was highest for adolescents aged 13-14.…

Compares past participants (n=33) in an Afrocentric pregnancy prevention program for adolescent females with nonparticipants (n=32). Results suggest that A Journey Toward Womanhood had a positive impact, delaying the initiation of sexual intercourse, increasing contraceptive use among those who were having intercourse, and reducing the incidence…

Explores the relationship between psychosocial factors and condom use by African-American adolescents (N=229). Results show that most participants were sexually active by age 13, had four or more lifetime sexual partners, and were using condoms regularly. Sexual self-efficacy predicted perceived certainty of condom use while self-esteem and sexual…

Identified predictors of birth control knowledge resulting from interactant or noninteractant communication styles in 100 adolescents who read a magazine on human sexuality. Data suggested that the interactant style was most beneficial for new learning. Gender and the presence of siblings in the home were important moderators. (JAC)

Used clustered sample household survey of 329 males and females aged 14 to 17, and 470 of their parents to examine influence of parental factors on adolescent sexual behavior and contraceptive use. Found parents' reported behavioral norms accounted for 5% of variance in whether adolescents had had intercourse, and for 33% of variance in…

Examined relationship of cognitive capacity, cognitive egocentrism, and experience factors to decision making in contraceptive use. Findings from 50 sexually active, unmarried female adolescents revealed that cognitive capacity and cognitive egocentrism variables, not experience with contraceptives, were significantly related to, and predictive…

Examined sexual activity and contraception among urban, low-income African-American adolescent female clients who were not sexually active (n=50), sexually active/noncontracepting (n=20), or sexually active/contracepting (n=72). Not sexually active group was younger, more career motivated, had father at home, was more influenced by family values,…

Reviews some contraceptive education programs designed for adolescents that differ in educational process based on delivery setting. Reviews school-based, community-based, and college/university-based programs and discusses them in terms of their effectiveness, potential, and limitations. Notes that educational accountability in each setting…

Examines the relationship between barriers to using birth control and actual use of birth control among Mexican American adolescents (N=26,666). Results show that nonusers had significantly higher barrier scores compared with users of birth control. These results indicate that attitudes toward birth control are associated with actual birth control…

Physicians and residents (n=53) at a southeastern rural teaching hospital were surveyed with regard to their counseling of adolescents about sexuality, including abstinence. More than 60% of physicians reported regularly addressing the issues of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted disease (STD), pregnancy prevention, and…

Asserts that cognitive skills that develop during adolescence are crucial to successful contraceptive practice and that practitioners must understand special developmental setting in which adolescent sexual growth and experimentation occur in order to impact contraceptive use. Demonstrates how health and medical providers can work together to…