Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

Is there a gap between perceptions of peer sexualbehavior and reality? Do teens believe that moreof their friends have sex than actually have sex?According to the social norms approach, such gapsare common. A few quantitative studies also supportthe existence of gaps, specifically in teens’ perceptionsof their peers’ sexual activity (Kinsman, Romeret al. 1998; Robinson, Telljohann et al. 1999; Bacon,Cleland et al. 2002). In addition, many adults workingwith youth on reproductive health issues haveobserved and commented on such gaps, suggestingthey may be quite widespread. Teens also maybelieve that fewer of their friends always use condomsor contraception than actually use condoms orcontraception; however, this is less well studied.Why do teens have distorted views of their peers’sexual behavior? There are several plausible reasonsthat may vary from one group or community toanother:• Teens who have sex talk about and may exaggeratetheir sexual activity. Others may suggestthey’ve had sex, even when they haven’t. Teenswho do not have sex are less likely to talk abouttheir virginity.• Teens (like all people) tend to remember thosebehaviors or events that are unusual or vivid, andstories of sexual exploits are sometimes morevivid and memorable than stories of not havingsex.• The media commonly depicts sex among youngpeople.• Some teens view pornography, either accidentallyor on purpose, which often depicts sexual intercourseand rarely depicts condom or contraceptiveuse.• Some well-intentioned people (such as educators,guidance counselors and parents) may receivebiased information themselves and then becomecarriers of the misperceptions, unintentionallyexaggerating sexual behavior of teens and theconsequences of that behavior.Collectively, the social norms theories as well asempirical evidence suggest that by changing theperceptions of norms and behavior, especially peernorms, programs may change behavior.Can we change perceptions of peer norms?Researchers involved with all these theories haveproduced substantial evidence that it is possible tochange perceptions of peer norms in general. In thearea of teen sexual behavior, a review of 84 studiesof sex and HIV education programs found thata majority of the programs employed one or moreof these theories and about 40 percent (16 out of 38programs) significantly improved perceptions of peernorms (Table 6-3) (Kirby 2007). These studies demonstrateclearly that not all programs significantlychanged perceptions of peer norms, but a substantialnumber of programs did so. Moreover, these studiesillustrate it is possible to change perceptions of peernorms about sexual intercourse as well as condomuse and overall sexual risk-taking.Table6-1Table6-2Number of Studies Reporting Effects ofPeer Norms About Sex on Teens’ OwnSexual BehaviorBelieved peers engagedin sexual activity or hadpermissive attitudestoward sexual activity(N=25)Believed peers usedcondoms or had positivenorms about condom orcontraceptive use (N=15)LaterInitiationof SexNumber of Studies Reporting Effectsof Peer Norms About Condom/Contraceptive Use on Teens’ OwnCondom/Contraceptive UseIncreased Useof Condomsor OtherContraceptivesNoSignificantRelationshipNoSignificantRelationshipEarlierInitiationof Sex0 1 24Reduced Useof Condomsor OtherContraceptives12 3 0Chapter 6 Correcting Perceptions of Peer Norms 77