Estimating the Longitudinal Association Between Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Exposure to Sexual Media Content

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to estimate the association between adolescent sexual behavior and exposure to sexual media content. A three-wave, longitudinal survey sample (N = 506) of 14- to 16-year-olds at baseline is analyzed using growth curves. Growth trajectories are linear for sexual behavior but not for exposure to sexual media content. The signs of the exposure slopes are not uniformly positive: Hispanic and African American respondents show declines of exposure to sexual media content over the age range investigated here. Although changes in exposure to sex content are highly associated with changes in sexual behavior among Whites, there is little or no association between changes in these variables among Blacks.

This publication was made possible by Grant No. 5R01HD044136 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NICHD.

Notes

Note. N = 506. Statistically significant entries are italic. Time metric for sex index is 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Time metric for exposure is 0, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.25. Correlations between equation parameters are as follows: r between intercept of exposure and slope of sexual behavior = − .14, r between intercept of sexual behavior and slope of exposure = –.21, and r between slope of sexual behavior with slope of exposure = .09. Fit indexes: χ²(37) = 93.52, p < .05; TLI (Tucker-Lewis Index) = .97; root mean square error of approximation = .055 (0.041 0.069).

Note. N = 505. One respondent is missing the race classification. Default conditional growth equation applies to White females. Statistically significant entries are italic. Time metric for sex index is 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Time metric for exposure is 0, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.25. Fit indexes: χ²(61) = 131.35, p < .05; TLI = .95; root mean square error of approximation = .048 (0.036 0.059).

Note. Statistically significant entries are italic. Time metric for sex index is 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Time metric for exposure is 0, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.25. Correlations between equation parameters are as follows: for White respondents, r between intercept of exposure and slope of sex = −.32, r between intercept of sex and slope of exposure = –47, r between intercept of sex and intercept of exposure = .42, and r between slope of sex and slope of exposure = .46; for Black respondents, r between intercept of exposure and slope of sex = − .05, r between intercept of sex and slope of exposure = − .19, r between intercept of sex and intercept of exposure = .26, and r between slope of sex and slope of exposure = .03. Fit indexes: for White Respondents, χ²(37, N = 213) = 70.5, p < .05; TLI = .96; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .065 (0.04 0.09); for Black respondents, χ²(37, N = 213) = 69.6, p < .05; TLI = .95, RMSEA = .064 (0.04 .09).