Abstracts from the NIHR INVOLVE Conference 2017

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Adolescent Perception of Risk: Does It Predict Lower Involvement in Health Risk Behavior?

This presentation was given during the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Annual Conference

Adolescent Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization: A Longitudinal Analysis of Rural Women

Longitudinal data were used to examine risk factors for sexual victimization among 237 young adult rural women. In this sample, 8% reported experiencing forced sex (i.e., physically violent experiences) and a separate 22% reported experiencing coerced sex (i.e., external psychological manipulation, substance-related coercion, or internal psychological pressure.) Women who had more educated mothers had a greater probability of reporting forced sex. In addition, mothers’ education moderated the relationship between individual risk factors and the probability of reporting forced sex. For women with less educated mothers, higher frequency of sexual activity during adolescence was related to an increased probability of reporting forced sex. For women with more educated mothers, higher frequency of sexual activity was related to a decreased probability of reporting forced sex. Frequency of sexual activity during adolescence was also related to coerced sex, with higher frequency of sexual activity predicting a greater probability of reporting coerced sex

Timing of First Sexual Intercourse: The Role of Social Control, Social Learning, and Problem Behavior

Prior research has pointed to several distinct processes that may affect the timing of first intercourse among adolescents. In the present study, the role of six hypothesized processes was assessed in a sample of 289 rural adolescent boys and girls. Results support the importance of family socialization and problem behavior for both sexes, the role of biological factors for boys, and the role of social control processes for girls. Two other hypothesized influences--social class and poor psychosocial adjustment--were not supported in either gender. These results indicate that multiple processes influence the timing of first intercourse; thus, they underscore the need for eclectic predictive models that incorporate the multiplicity of influences

Predicting Alcohol and Tobacco Use in a Sample of Rural Adolescents

Objective: To examine adolescent perception of risk and the behavior and attitudes of parents and friends to evaluate which best predicts alcohol and tobacco use in a sample of rural adolescents. Methods: Data were collected from one rural school district using a paper and pencil survey of 548 adolescents. Specific items related to personal use of alcohol and tobacco, friends use of alcohol and tobacco and parental use of alcohol and tobacco and perception of risk about use of these substances were analyzed using a multiple regression model for each substance. Results: Friends use of alcohol and tobacco predicted adolescent use (.001), while perception of use was did not have any effect in the multiple regression model. Conclusion: Although the study failed to support the idea that perception of risk was a strong influence on adolescent substance use, it did support other studies that have found friend or peer influence to be a key factor in initiation and subsequent substance use

Adolescent Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization: A Longitudinal Analysis of Rural Women

Longitudinal data were used to examine risk factors for sexual victimization among 237 young adult rural women. In this sample, 8% reported experiencing forced sex (i.e., physically violent experiences) and a separate 22% reported experiencing coerced sex (i.e., external psychological manipulation, substance-related coercion, or internal psychological pressure.) Women who had more educated mothers had a greater probability of reporting forced sex. In addition, mothers’ education moderated the relationship between individual risk factors and the probability of reporting forced sex. For women with less educated mothers, higher frequency of sexual activity during adolescence was related to an increased probability of reporting forced sex. For women with more educated mothers, higher frequency of sexual activity was related to a decreased probability of reporting forced sex. Frequency of sexual activity during adolescence was also related to coerced sex, with higher frequency of sexual activity predicting a greater probability of reporting coerced sex