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  • Title: Sexual decision making in young black adolescent females.
    Author: Pete JM, DeSantis L.
    Journal: Adolescence; 1990; 25(97):145-54. PubMed ID: 2333793.
    Abstract:
    Participant observation and a questionnaire guide were used to conduct in-depth interviews with five 14-year-old, black, pregnant or recently delivered girls to obtain a broad and detailed view of perceptions and interpretations of the factors that led to the initiation of sexual activity and the decision to maintain the pregnancy that resulted. Four key and several supporting factors that influenced the girls' sexual decisions emerged from the data. The key factors centered around the girls' attempt to establish a relationship based on trust, a belief in their lack of vulnerability to become pregnant, family structure, and their beliefs about the alternatives available once a pregnancy was confirmed. Some of the findings were consistent with those reported in the literature, while others were not. Further research is needed on the father of the infant as well as the mother of the adolescent girl to assess their perceptions of the factors they believe influence teenagers' sexual decisions. The purpose of this study was to obtain a detailed view of the perceptions and interpretations of factors that led 5 14-year old US black, pregnant, or recently delivered girls to initiate sexual activities and the decision to keep their babies. 4 key factors that influenced the girls sexual decisions emerged from the data: 1) attempts to establish a relationship based on trust with the child's father; 2) the belief in their lack of vulnerability to become pregnant; 3) family relationship; and 4) beliefs about the alternatives available once the pregnancy was confirmed. Some of the findings from the study are not consistent with the literature: 1) the black adolescents (15-19) seek to establish a trust/love relationship before becoming sexually active; 2) that black adolescent males do not abandon their sexual partners once they are pregnant; 3) that young adolescents discuss sexual matters with sexual partners as they do with their friends; and 4) that young adolescents are capable of future- oriented thinking. Further research is also needed on the father of the baby as well as on the mother of the adolescent girl to assess their perceptions of the factors they believe influence teenagers' sexual decisions. The data were obtained by participant observation and in- debt questionnaire lead interview in low income, inner-city neighborhoods of Miami, Florida.
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