ࡗ Teen Sexual Behavior: Applicability of the Theory of Reasoned ActionWe examined the utility of the theory of reasoned action for predicting sexual intercourse among teenagers and determined whether it holds for both genders and for those with and without prior sexual experience. The data include 749 students who were in 9th-11th grades when the predictors were measured and in 10th-12th grades when sexual intercourse was assessed. About half (53%) were girls, about half (48%) were non-Hispanic European Americans. Results showed that prior sexual experience was related to a higher rate of sexual intercourse, but boys and girls did not differ. Tests of the causal model for subgroups (boy and girl virgins, boy and girl nonvirgins) yielded similar results. As predicted, paths from intentions to behavior and from norms and attitudes to intentions were significant, as were paths from outcome and normative beliefs to attitude and norm, respectively.

The Children's Health Awareness Project is presented as a case study of the use of focus groups for gathering sensitive information from children. General focus group techniques are described, as are the benefits and limitations of focus group methodology for social science applications. Recommendations are offeredfor other investigators planning to use this methodology to gather information from children, especially when sensitive topics are to be addressed. Focus groups, used in the past primarily for market research, are now being used as data collection tools for certain phases of social science researchparticularly for generating hypotheses, developing survey questions, and interpreting quantitative data. Because the methodology is relatively new in the social sciences, guidelines for conducting groups, organizing data, and analyzing results are still evolving. Furthermore, very little information exists about conducting focus groups with children, and even less concerns using this technique to discuss sensitive topics with children.Focus groups are not the solution to every research problem (Basch 1987;Stycos 1981). Used appropriately, however, they can effectively elicit information that cannot be obtained with techniques such as one-on-one interviews. In a focus group, for example, one participant's responses may provoke responses from others in the group, resulting in a synergistic effect AUTHORS' NOTE: The authors wish to thank

Sexual health research often relies on single risk indicators. However multi-variable composites may better capture the underlying construct of risk-taking. Latent Profile Analysis identified subgroups based on condom use consistency, partner numbers, and sex frequency among 605 adolescents. Three profiles were identified for each of grades 8 to 10 (Condom Users, Few Partners, and Risk-Takers) and 4 in grades 11 and 12 (Condom Users, One Partner Two Partners, and Risk-Takers). Inconsistent condom use groups reported more non-condom (and often less effective) birth control use and STD and pregnancy histories. Females had greater representation in the Few Partners, One Partners, and Two Partners groups, which also contained increasing proportions of participants in each subsequent year. Males had greater representation in the Risk-Takers group. A profile approach to measurement has methodological advantages, can add to substantive knowledge, and can inform content, timing, and targets of sexual health interventions.

Researchers examined individual characteristics and peer influences related to adolescents' sexual behavior, taking gender and sexual experience into account. As part of a larger, longitudinal study investigating youth health awareness, 8th, 9th, and 10th graders reported their intentions to engage in sexual activity and use condoms in the next year, the amount of pressure they felt to engage in sexual activity, and their perceptions about the number of their peers engaging in sexual activity. Findings suggest intentions to engage in sexual behavior and use condoms, feelings of pressure to have sex, and perceptions about the number of friends engaging in sexual intercourse differ by gender and sexual experience status. Implications of these findings for health and sexuality education, as well as HIV prevention programs targeted at adolescents, are discussed.