Self-esteem, locus of control, and adolescent contraception

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Understanding factors influencing adolescent contraceptive use is crucial for public health initiatives.
• Previous research suggests psychological variables may impact contraceptive decision-making and behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationships between locus of control, self-esteem, attitudes toward contraception, and contraceptive behaviors among single adolescent women.
• To identify psychological predictors of effective contraceptive use in a Canadian population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 486 single women aged 13-20 attending birth control centers in Southern Ontario.
• Data collected via questionnaires measuring locus of control (Fatalism scale), self-esteem (Likert scale), and attitudes toward birth control pills (semantic differential scale).

Main Results:

• No significant relationships were found between locus of control and contraceptive attitudes or behaviors.
• High self-esteem was significantly associated with positive attitudes toward birth control pills.
• Individuals with high self-esteem reported less embarrassment in obtaining contraception and demonstrated more effective and consistent contraceptive use.

Conclusions:

• Self-esteem appears to be a key psychological factor influencing contraceptive decision-making and adherence among adolescent women.
• Interventions aimed at improving self-esteem may enhance contraceptive use and reduce unintended pregnancies in this demographic.
• Locus of control was not found to be a significant predictor in this study population.