The Role of Communication With Friends in Sexual Initiation

Abstract

This study identifies a theoretical mechanism through which communication with friends about sex influences sexual initiation in a sample of adolescents. The Integrative Model was used to assess the effect of attitudes, normative pressure and self efficacy on intentions to have sex in a sample of virgin adolescents. Results show that the constructs of the theory partially mediated the effect of communication with friends on subsequent sexual initiation. The effect of communication with friends on sexual initiation was not different for males and females. Overall, the results suggest how conversations with friends about sex influence adolescents' intentions to initiate sexual intercourse, which in turn influence subsequent sexual initiation. Keywords Communication with friends; sexual initiation; adolescents; Integrative ModelThere is evidence that psychosocial factors influence the sexual behavior of adolescents (Buhi & Goodson, 2007). In a review of the studies of the last decades, Kirby(2002) found that having older friends or having more permissive attitudes towards pre-marital sex were among the risk factors of sexual initiation. Social psychology has contributed to this body of evidence through research based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) and its later versions, the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) and the Integrative Model (Fishbein, 2000(Fishbein, , 2007(Fishbein, , 2008.The Theory of Reasoned Action assumes that behaviors under volitional control are predicted by the intention to engage in the behavior. Behavioral intention is predicted by two constructs: attitudes towards performing the specific behavior and subjective norms influencing the behavior (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). Recognizing that volitional control varies across behaviors, Ajzen (1991) proposed the Theory of Planned Behavior, an extension of the Theory of Reasoned Action that included perceived behavioral control as a third cognitive variable influencing both the formation of intentions and behavioral performance. The Theory of Planned Behavior was later extended to explicitly recognize that skills and environmental factors may moderate the intention/behavior relationship and to acknowledge that normative NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript pressure involves two sources of influence: injunctive and descriptive norms (Fishbein, 2007(Fishbein, , 2008. Injunctive norms are the perceptions of what others think one should do, while descriptive norms are the perceptions of what others are doing (Cialdini et al., 1990). Because his extension also explicitly considers the role of variables from other behavioral theories (e.g., perceived risk, emotion), this latest version of the reasoned action approach was called an Integrative Model Fishbein, 2000Fishbein, , 2007Fishbein, , 2008Fishbein & Yzer, 2003).Several studies have used the reasoned action approach to predict sexual behaviors and behavioral intentions (e.g. Albarracín et al., 2001;Gillmore et al., 2002). These...

Exposure to HIV/AIDS-Related Media Content and HIV Testing Intention: Applying the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction

“…Consistent with the IM's propositions and previous research (e.g., Busse et al, 2010), this variable was measured by averaging the items related to injunctive and descriptive norms. In addition, the decision to combine the two constructs was supported by a factor analysis that showed that the two load together with an eigenvalue of 1.73 and 86.7% explained variance.…”

“…Research within an IM framework has documented that intentions are the immediate antecedents of behaviors (e.g., Busse et al, 2010). It could therefore be argued that individuals with a high level of exposure to HIV=AIDS-related media are more likely to be tested for HIV, provided that they have the ability to perform the behavior and that there are no environmental constraints.…”

“…Some of the items that measure the main variables in this study have been adapted from previous research that utilizes the IM to assess the role of communication with friends in sexual initiation (Busse, Fishbein, Bleakley, & Hennessy, 2010). To reduce confusion and minimize response burden, the number of items for each measure was kept to a minimum.…”

Perilaku Seks Pranikah Remaja

“…Menurut Busse et al, 10 remaja yang berkomunikasi dengan teman tentang seks cenderung meningkatkan kejadian inisiasi seks pranikah di antara remaja berusia 14 -16 tahun di Philadelphia, sehingga perlu diketahui pengaruh komunikasi tentang seks dengan teman sebaya/akrab terhadap inisiasi hubungan seks pranikah remaja di Bali melalui elemen sikap, tekanan normatif, personal agency, serta niat. Artikel ini bertujuan menjabarkan hasil survei awal perilaku seks pranikah remaja yang duduk di bangku SMA tingkat 10 dan 11 di Bali berdasarkan prediktor-prediktor dari kerangka Integrated Behavioral Model.…”

Predicción del tipo de experiencia sexual en función de variables psicológicas y sociodemográficas en adolescentes panameños

“…Por un lado, diversos autores han encontrado que aquellos adolescentes que informan tener una mayor comunicación con sus padres muestran un comportamiento sexual más tardío, cuando el mensaje de los padres es negativo y de rechazo con respecto al sexo (Atienzo, Walter, Campero, Lamadrid-Figueroa y Gutiérrez, 2008;Bersamin et al, 2008;Dancy et al, 2010;Dilorio et al, 2006;Gilliam, Berlin, Kozloski, Hernández y Grundy, 2007;Lenciauskiene y Zaborkis, 2008), y por otro lado, existen estudios que muestran que altos niveles de comunicación con los padres están relacionados positivamente con las relaciones sexuales precoces (Bersamin et al, 2008). Otra variable comúnmente estudiada es la comunicación sobre aspectos relacionados con la práctica sexual, el embarazo y la transmisión de ITS/VIH con los amigos, ya que según algunos autores está directamente relacionada con un inicio sexual posterior (Busse, Fishbein, Bleakley y Hennessy, 2010). No obstante, según los mismos autores, dicha relación está mediada por la presión normativa del grupo de iguales (Gilliam et al, 2007;Potard, Coutois y Rusch, 2008;Zimmer-Gembeck y Helfand, 2008).…”