These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Male adolescent birth control behavior: the importance of developmental factors and sex differences.
    Author: Cohen DD, Rose RD.
    Journal: J Youth Adolesc; 1984 Jun; 13(3):239-52. PubMed ID: 12339898.
    Abstract:
    A survey of sex and birth control behavior of 51 male adolescents aged 15-17 was conducted utilizing a structured interview protocol. The sample was drawn from 3 community agencies. The respondents resided in a major northeastern metropolitan part of Pennsylvania. The purpose of the study was to describe male adolescent birth control behavior incorporating developmental issues, and to interpret the findings in light of what is known about female birth control behavior. Based on research with teenage females, 3 social influences were examined for their possible impact on male birth control behavior. An interview schedule was undertaken to form the basis of the demographic items, the description of the social network, history of sex and birth control behavior, pregnancy history and communication about sex and birth control. A questionnaire, designed to measure the influence of significant others on females' birth control behavior, formed the basis of the items concerning the expectations of others about contraceptive behavior. Thirdly, questions on perceived power relations with girlfriends were used to determin the influence of teenage females' self-perceptions of power in dyadic relationships on their own contraceptive usage. A new operational definition of male effective birth control usage involving the effectiveness of the method and the consistency of its usage was developed. Findings similar to those obtained in the research on females suggest that adolescent sexual partners may be the only direct social influence on adolescents' birth control usage. Results indicating differences from research with females suggest that in general: male birth control behavior is primarily self-oriented, males are more likely to be effective contraceptors with casual partners than with girlfriends, males are more likely to communicate about sex and birth control with similar age peers than with family members and/or other adults, and that teen males view sex and birth control decisions as female decisions. Only 35.3% of the males showed a full understanding of how pregnancy occurs. For coitally active subjects, the more the topic of communication was specifically sexual in content, the more likely it was for the subject to speak to similar-aged people and friends than to adults.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]