Factors associated with sexual behavior among adolescents: a multivariate analysis

Multiple factors associated with engaging in sexual intercourse among a sample of adolescents were examined. A self-administered survey was completed by 1,026 high school students in a classroom setting. Discriminant function analyses were performed to discriminate factors most important in predicting the sexual status of the adolescent. Compared to males who had never engaged in sexual intercourse, sexually active males reported more frequent use of alcohol, had higher levels of stress, were less likely to use seat belts, were more likely to engage in physical fights, and were more likely to worry about the spread of AIDS. Sexually active females reported more frequent use of alcohol and cigarettes, and had higher levels of stress than did female adolescents who had never had sexual intercourse. These findings suggest that effective interventions to address teenage pregnancy need to utilize a multifaceted approach to the prevention of high-risk behaviors.