Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA.
J Adolesc Health. 2013 Jul;53(1):91-7.e1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.01.005. Epub 2013 Mar 23.
An early age of sexual initiation and sexual activity with multiple partners are risk factors for an array of detrimental outcomes. Drawing on social norms theory, this study assessed the role of subjective and descriptive social norms from parents, peers, and schoolmates on trajectories of sexual partner accumulation from early adolescence through early adulthood.
Data were drawn from the in-home survey sample of Add Health, following 14,797 youth from adolescence through early adulthood. Social norms data were drawn from youth, parent, schoolmate, and school administrator reports. Multi-level growth models assess how parent, peer, and school social norms predicted initial levels and growth in sexual partner accumulation.
Parent and peer approval of youth sexual behavior, as well as lower perceived negative repercussions of pregnancy, predicted greater initial levels and greater growth over time in the accumulation of sexual partners. Similarly, youth attending schools with a greater proportion of sexually experienced schoolmates reported higher initial levels of sexual partners. In contrast, greater parental warnings regarding negative consequences of sex predicted heightened sexual partner accumulation. Some moderation by youth gender and age emerged as well.
Results highlight the role of both subjective and descriptive social norms, suggesting the importance of understanding and seeking to influence the social beliefs and expectations of youth and their families.
性初体验年龄较小且性伴侣较多是一系列不良后果的风险因素。本研究基于社会规范理论，评估了来自父母、同伴和校友的主观和描述性社会规范在青少年到成年早期的性伴侣积累轨迹中的作用。
数据来自 Add Health 的家庭调查样本，跟踪了 14797 名青少年到成年早期的情况。社会规范数据来自青少年、父母、同学和学校管理人员的报告。多层次增长模型评估了父母、同伴和学校社会规范如何预测性伴侣积累的初始水平和增长。
父母和同伴对青少年性行为的认可，以及对怀孕负面后果的感知降低，预示着性伴侣积累的初始水平更高，随着时间的推移增长更大。同样，在性经验丰富的同学比例较高的学校上学的青少年报告的性伴侣初始水平更高。相比之下，父母对性行为负面后果的警告更多，预示着性伴侣积累水平更高。青少年的性别和年龄也出现了一些调节作用。
结果强调了主观和描述性社会规范的作用，表明理解和寻求影响青少年及其家庭的社会信念和期望的重要性。
