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Contraceptive self-efficacy: does it influence adolescents' contraceptive use?
Monica A Longmore1, Wendy D Manning, Peggy C Giordano
1Department of Sociology, Center for Family and Demographic Research, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, USA. mseff@bgnet.bgsu.edu
Journal of Health and Social Behavior
|May 20, 2003
Summary
Adolescent contraceptive self-efficacy, or confidence in using contraception, is linked to actual use. Factors like age, gender, and maternal approval influence this confidence, partially predicting future contraceptive behavior.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Adolescent Psychology
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- Adolescent contraceptive use is crucial for preventing unintended pregnancies and STIs.
- Understanding factors influencing contraceptive decision-making is vital for public health interventions.
- Contraceptive self-efficacy, a key psychosocial determinant, warrants further investigation in adolescent populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between contraceptive self-efficacy and subsequent contraceptive use in adolescents.
- To identify demographic and background factors associated with varying levels of contraceptive self-efficacy.
- To assess the predictive power of contraceptive self-efficacy on actual contraceptive behavior one year later.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 3,577).
- Employed multiple regression and logistic regression analyses.
- Assessed contraceptive self-efficacy and contraceptive use at two distinct time points.
Main Results:
- Female, older adolescents, those living with step-parents, and those with maternal approval of contraception reported higher self-efficacy.
- Adolescents whose mothers had lower educational attainment reported lower contraceptive self-efficacy.
- Contraceptive self-efficacy partially predicted increased likelihood of contraceptive use one year later.
Conclusions:
- Demographic and familial factors significantly shape adolescent contraceptive self-efficacy.
- Contraceptive self-efficacy demonstrates a partial, yet important, role in adolescent contraceptive behavior.
- Findings underscore the need for interventions targeting self-efficacy to improve adolescent contraceptive practices.