Metacognition, Risk Behavior, and Risk Outcomes: The Role of Perceived Intelligence and Perceived Knowledge.

Abstract

The present study explores 2 key variables in social metacognition: perceived intelligence and perceived levels of knowledge about a specific content domain. The former represents a judgment of one's knowledge at an abstract level, whereas the latter represents a judgment of one's knowledge in a specific content domain. Data from interviews of approximately 8,411 female adolescents from a national sample were analyzed in a 2-wave panel design with a year between assessments. Higher levels of perceived intelligence at Wave 1 were associated with a lower probability of the occurrence of a pregnancy over the ensuing year independent of actual IQ, self-esteem, and academic aspirations. Higher levels of perceived knowledge about the accurate use of birth control were associated with a higher probability of the occurrence of a pregnancy independent of actual knowledge about accurate use, perceived intelligence, self-esteem, and academic aspirations.

Confidence as a Predictor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth

“…Educational aspirations were found to be protective against pregnancy or having given birth in 13 findings from six longitudinal studies [47][48][49][50][51][52], but seven findings from four longitudinal studies found no association [47,48,53,54]. The studies had no apparent differences to explain the inconsistent results.…”

Competence as a Predictor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Youth: A Systematic Review

“…Similarly, Jaccard et al [21] reported a protective association using a curvilinear model-both females with lower IQs and females with higher IQs had a reduced risk of pregnancy independent of other factors such as perceived intelligence.…”

“…The majority of studies (n ¼ 65) used indicators of academic achievement to assess cognitive competence, using measures such as typical grades in school, grade point average, standardized test scores, retention across one or more grades, or highest grade level achieved in school. Ten studies assessed intelligence quotient (IQ) using an established measure such as an abridged version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test used in the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health (Add Health) [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26], the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children [27], or the Armed Forces Qualifying Test [28]. Three studies assessed problem-solving ability using an established measure, such as the Problem-Solving Inventory [29].…”

Longitudinal study on self‐esteem among recently pregnant Brazilian adolescents

“…The definition for low self-esteem is self-rejection, meaning the individual neither has *Corresponding author .Email: keila@ufpi.edu.br respect nor is satisfied with him or herself and wishes that were otherwise (Rosenberg, 1989). Low self-esteem in adolescents has been associated with negative health behaviours (Mahat & Scoloveno, 2001), including suicidal ideation in early adulthood (McGee, Williams & Nada-Raja, 2001), pregnancy (Lipovsek et al, 2002, Jaccard, Dogde & Guilamo-Ramos, 2005, abandoning school and social isolation because of a pregnancy (Held, 1981;Wiemann, Rickert, Berenson & Volk, 2005) and excessive weight gain during pregnancy (Casanueva, Labastida, Sanz & Morales-Carmona, 2000). However, some studies have detected higher self-esteem among pregnant adolescents as compared to those who were not pregnant; this is considered a presumptive process of adaptation and acceptance of the pregnancy (Vernon, Green & Frothingham, 1983).…”