Socialization for Sexual and Contraceptive Behavior

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Abstract
The intended and unintended effects of adolescent exposure to 2 dominant socialization strategies for preventing adolescent premarital pregnancy are considered. The moral absolutes strategy, which focuses on preventing premarital sexual intercourse among adolescents, is represented by the preceived premarital sexual permisiveness of parents and friends, religiosity and sex guilt. The relative consequences strategy, which emphasizes the prevention of pregnancy among unmarried sexually active adolescents, is represented by contraceptive discussion and perceived access to contraceptive services. The relations between adolescents exposure to each strategy and their sexual and contraceptive attitudes and behavior were examined from July 1978 to June 1979 via telephone interviews with 329 adolescents aged 14 to 17. The study group was selected from the greater Seattle area using a cluster sampling procedure based on census tracts and street segments. Results show that both the moral absolutes strategy and the relative consequences strategy have potential for preventing adolescent premarital pregnancy. Therefore it is suggested that the efforts of parents, community and society should incorporate elements of both strategies, A heirarchy of values should be constructed, with sexual abstinence preferred to sexual intercourse with contraception, and both preferable to unprotected intercourse.