171
Views
44
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

Reliability of self‐reported contraceptive use and sexual behaviors among adolescent girls

, , , , &
Pages 159-166 | Accepted 05 Oct 2004, Published online: 11 Jan 2010
 

This study examines two issues relevant to adolescents’ self‐reported sexual and contraceptive use behaviors: reliability of partner‐referent reports versus 3‐ and 6‐month reports, and test‐retest reliability of reports completed over a 2‐week period. Data are from 196 13‐ to 18‐year‐old girls recruited into this study while they sought reproductive care from health clinics in a metropolitan area. All participants reported having had sexual intercourse during the past 6 months. Twice over a 2‐week interval, participants completed the same paper‐and‐pencil surveys. The survey presented questions about sexual behavior and contraceptive use using 3 sequential frames of reference: within the past 6 months, within the past 3 months, and by specific sexual partners in the past 6 months. Findings demonstrate that adolescent girls can reliably report sexual behavior and contraceptive use over a 6‐month interval. Study findings have implications for future research utilizing adolescents’ self‐reported sexual and contraceptive use behaviors.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.