Power in college students' contraceptive decisions

Excluding Hollerbach (1980), previous fertility researchers have paid little attention to contraceptive power bases, relationships that become the source of changes in birth control values and behavior. Eight contraceptive power bases, each evaluated as a direct or obvious strategy, were identified in a pilot study involving 25 college students as participants and 10 undergraduate raters. Two-hundred college students completed a questionnaire which included the Bem Sex Role Inventory, inquired into their sexual and contraceptive behavior, and asked about contraceptive power bases. There were highly significant main effects for both students' personal experiences with contraceptive power bases and for their opinions about the comfort and effectiveness of same. Coercion was the most popular and legitimate power was the least popular power base. Women were more likely than men to be the targets of contraceptive power bases, the majority of which were stereotyped as feminine by women in particular. Sex role identification was unrelated to students' experiences with contraceptive power bases. The implications of these findings for family-planning researchers and practioners are addressed.