Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

• When arguments are presented by someone withwhom there is a strong connection, the argumentsare more likely to be attended to and accepted.• Messages can still have an impact on attitudes,even if people do not critically examine the argumentsbut do unconsciously associate the argumentswith some desired qualities or outcomes.• A particularly impactful combination is a strongargument presented clearly and reinforced overtime by a respected source with whom there isstrong connection.Applying These Theoriesand Principles to TeenAttitudes, Values and Beliefsabout Sexual BehaviorPeople commonly associate values about abstinencewith initiation of sex or number of sexual partners.It is assumed that if youth believe that sex prior tomarriage or at a young age is wrong, they are lesslikely to have sex. Similarly, if youth believe that it iswrong to have sex if they are not in love, this valuemay affect their number of sexual partners. Peoplealso commonly associate attitudes about condomsand contraceptive use with use of condoms andcontraception.When applying these concepts about attitudes,values and beliefs to sexual behavior, four questionsshould be asked:1. Do teens’ attitudes, values and beliefs aboutsexual and contraceptive behaviors actually affecttheir own sexual behaviors?2. Can we change attitudes about sex and condom/contraceptive use?3. What values, attitudes and beliefs should beencouraged?4. How do we improve values, attitudes andbeliefs toward abstinence, minimizing partners,being faithful and using condoms and othercontraceptives?These questions are answered below.Do teens’ attitudes, values and beliefs aboutsexual and contraceptive behaviors actually affecttheir own sexual behaviors?A review of studies examining the relationshipbetween attitudes, values and beliefs and sexualbehavior revealed that at least 14 studies havemeasured the impact of attitudes, values and beliefsabout sex (Table 5-1) (Kirby and Lepore 2007). Tenof the 14 studies found that these attitudes were significantlyrelated to initiation of sex; only four failedto find significant relationships and none foundrelationships in the unexpected direction. Thoseattitudes, values and beliefs having a positive impactincluded less permissive attitudes toward sex, morepersonal benefits of abstaining from sex and moreperceived personal and social benefits than costs ofhaving sex. The failure of four studies (one-third ofthe total) to find a significant impact of attitudes,values and beliefs may reflect measurement problems,small sample sizes and other methodologicalproblems of the studies. It might indicate that attitudes,values and beliefs about sex are not related toinitiation of sex in all groups of teens. Overall, thesestudies represent strong evidence for the impact ofattitudes, values and beliefs about sex on initiationof sex.Forty-six studies measured the impact of attitudesabout condom and contraceptive use on actualTable5-1Less permissive attitudestoward sex (N=5)Personal benefits ofabstaining from sex(N=2)Number of Studies Reporting Effects ofAttitudes About Abstaining on Teens’Own Sexual BehaviorMore perceivedpersonal and socialbenefits than costs ofhaving sex (N=7)LaterInitiationof SexNoSignificantEffectsEarlierInitiationof Sex4 1 02 0 04 3 0Chapter 5 Addressing Attitudes, Values and Beliefs 61