Brief Report: Sexual Sensation Seeking and Its Relationship to Risky Sexual Behaviour Among African-American Adolescent Females

• NCJ Number: 217805
• Journal: Journal of Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 165-173
• Author(s): Josha S. Spitalnick; Ralph J. DiClemente; Gina M. Wingood; Richard A. Crosby; Robin R. Mihausen; Jessica M. Sales; Frances McCarty; Eve Rose; Sinead N. Younge
• Date Published: February 2007
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01MH61210
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and sexual risk-taking among African-American adolescent females.

Abstract

Study results indicate that African-American adolescent females who endorsed high levels of sexual sensation seeking attitudes and behaviors also reported high levels of sexual risk-taking behaviors, such as frequency of vaginal intercourse, number of sexual partners, and inconsistent condom use. This relationship remained significant after controlling for two empirically and theoretically important confounding variables. In summary, the results suggest that greater endorsement of sexual sensation seeking relates to an increased likelihood of engaging in potentially risky sexual behaviors. To date, researchers have yet to examine the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and sexual risk-taking among adolescent populations. This study addresses the gap in the STD (sexually transmitted disease)/HIV empirical literature by examining the relationship among a sample of at-risk African-American adolescent females. Tables, references