Attachment, Identity Development, and Sexual Behavior Among College Students

The prevalence of nonmarital sexual behavior among adolescents continues to rise, as does the number of sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and unwanted pregnancies. College-age adolescents appear to be even more susceptible to these problems. Sound theoretical knowledge would seem useful in designing more effective prevention programs. The purpose of this study was to identity theoretical factors that contribute to or decrease such behaviors. Two hundred fifty-two single college students completed measures designed to examine relations among identity development, attachment patterns, gender, and sexual behavior in older adolescents. Attachment and identity measures were used to explore variations in sexual behavior relating to identity development and the quality of intimate relationships formed in late adolescence. Three measures were used to assess these theoretical constructs and to measure sexual behavior: The Personal Opinion Survey contains Grotevant and Adams\u27 64-item Extended Version of the Objective Measure ofEgo Identity Status; a modified version of Simpson, Rholes, and Nelligan\u27s 13-item Attachment Style measure; and 19 items that assess sexual behaviors. Results confirmed statistically significant relations among identity development, attachment patterns, gender, and sexual behavior. Specifically, correlational analyses confirmed relations among identity, attachment, and premarital intercourse, age of first intercourse, and items pertaining to risky sexual behavior. Identity was also statistically significantly related to premarital intercourse. Attachment and identity sub scale scores were predictive of sexual behavior when multiple regression equations were generated. Previous studies of identity, gender, and intimacy among older adolescents support the findings of this study. Other researchers have found relationships between attachment and intimacy among this population. The results of this study and future research areas are discussed

Peer Groups and Adolescent Development in Traditional and Alternative High Schools

This study explored the influence of peer relationships on students who have a history of school difficulties. Peer Relationship Surveys I and II assessed school-based peer group status, relationship qualities, school-related behaviors, attitudes, and intentions (BAJs); substance (i.e., alcohol and tobacco) use; and identity development in relation to experiences at traditional (survey I, retrospective accounts) and alternative high schools (survey II). Both surveys were administered in five classrooms to students at an alternative high school (i.e. Cache High) during the first academic term (August 1999) and in January 2000. Eighty-five and 83 predominantly Caucasian adolescents between the ages of 15 to 19 completed surveys I and II, respectively. Twenty-one students were interviewed. The majority of participants indicated that peer group membership and status were less salient at the alternative school and that the quality of their peer relationships at the alternative school was better than what they had experienced at their traditional high schools. Quantitative analyses provided less support for the linkages between peer relationship quality, school-related BAIs, and grades, but interviews with students consistently supported the premise that supportive peer relationships contributed to improvement in school BAIs. Compared to responses about their traditional high school experiences, students reported more positive school-related BAIs and fewer negative BAIs at the alternative school. Analyses of differences or change in identity statuses showed that moratorium scores, which are characterized by greater exploration of choices in personal beliefs, educational goals, and interpersonal relationships, were statistically significantly different based on comparisons of responses to surveys I and II. Findings suggests that school environments (traditional and alternative) do influence peer status, peer relationship qualities, school-related BAIs, grades, and identity status development. This study demonstrated that adolescents who were labeled as unmotivated and possibly academically underachieving in traditional high schools found that with encouragement and individualized attention at the alternative school they could change their school-related attitudes and performance. Conclusions from this study emphasize the importance of tailoring educational experiences to the needs of students rather than expecting students to conform to existing school structures and procedures, which are clearly ineffective for some learners