Citation

Valois RF, Zullig KJ, Huebner ES, Kammermann SK, Drane JW. J. Child Fam. Stud. 2002; 11(4): 427-440.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1023/A:1020931324426

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Relationships between perceived life satisfaction and sexual risk-taking behaviors were examined in a statewide sample of public high school students ( n = 4,758) using the self-report CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Adjusted polychotomous logistic regression analyses and multivariate models (via SUDAAN) constructed separately, revealed a significant race by gender interaction for each race-gender group. Age of first intercourse (=13), two or more lifetime sexual intercourse partners, alcohol/drug use before last intercourse, no use of contraception at last intercourse, being forced to have sex, forcing someone to have sex, and having beaten up a date in the last 12 months and having been beaten up by a date (in last 12 months) were associated ( p = .05) with reduced life satisfaction. Measures of life satisfaction as a component of comprehensive assessments of adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviors in fieldwork, research, and program-evaluation efforts should be considered.