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Initiating Sexual Experiences: How Do Young Adolescents Make Decisions Regarding Early Sexual Activity?
Author(s) -
Michels Tricia M.,
Kropp Rhonda Y.,
Eyre Stephen L.,
HalpernFelsher Bonnie L.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-7795.2005.00112.x
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , intervention (counseling) , reproductive health , sexual behavior , narrative , grounded theory , set (abstract data type) , social psychology , qualitative research , population , demography , linguistics , philosophy , psychiatry , sociology , computer science , programming language , social science
Understanding how young adolescents make decisions to engage in early sexual activities is vital for intervention efforts aimed at fostering positive youth development and reducing the negative outcomes of adolescent sexual behavior. In‐depth interviews with 42 suburban, mostly White, ninth‐grade adolescents (52% females, mean age=14.1, SD =.45) elicited accounts of their early sexual decisions. We adapted grounded theory methodology to build a model of sexual decision making from the adolescents' narratives. Six dominant categories emerged: contextual factors (relationship and personal characteristics), consideration of risks and benefits, boundary setting, boundary communication, the sexual experience, and evaluation. Our model of early sexual decision‐making processes, developed from the perspectives of young adolescents, highlights active consideration of health and social risks and benefits, as well as the generation of options regarding sexual activity. The model also shows that young adolescents set clear boundaries of sexual limits and evaluate sexual experiences, suggesting a dynamic process of decision making.