The relationship between adolescent sexual behavior and access to preventive family planning

Thesis (M.S.W.) California State University, Los Angeles, 2012Committee members: Dale Weaver, Connie Corley, Dale WeaverAdolescents, Family Planning, Sexual BehaviorAdolescents in the United States continue to have the highest rate of pregnancies and STIs when compared to other industrial countries. This study is intended to understand if there is any correlation between access to family planning services, parent-adolescent relationship and religiousness and adolescent sexual behavior. A sample size of 2565 participants from secondary data analysis obtained from Add Health was used for this study. Bivariate comparisons were done to determine a correlation between variables. It was determined that adolescents who had access and used family planning services were less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. On the other hand it was established that adolescents who have a positive relationship with their mother were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior but were less likely if they had a positive relationship with their father. Religiousness also proved to be an important factor and discouraged adolescents from engaging in risky sexual behavior. However, further research that specifies in family planning and adolescent sexual behavior is needed