Sexual Behaviors and Attitudes and Ethnic Identity During College

Abstract

This study examined ethnic differences in sexual behaviors and attitudes, and associations between ethnic identity commitment and sexual behaviors and attitudes. African American (32%), Latino American (29%), and European American (39%) first-year college students (N = 434; 52% female) completed surveys about their sexual behaviors (number of partners, condom use, and alcohol use before intercourse) and attitudes (conservative attitudes, condom-related beliefs, and fear of AIDS) and ethnic identity commitment. Analyses of covariance and hierarchical linear regressions were performed. Among the three groups, Latino Americans reported riskier condom-related behaviors and attitudes, whereas European Americans were less fearful of AIDS. Ethnic identity commitment was a protective factor against risky attitudes regardless of ethnicity. For sexual behaviors, however, ethnic identity served as a protective factor only for European Americans. This study contributes to the understanding of adolescents' sexuality during college and the role of ethnic identity in their sexual experiences.

An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2005 biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, GA. This research was supported by Grant R01 HD 41720 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Eva S. Lefkowitz and by a fellowship from Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Technología to Graciela Espinosa-Hernández. We gratefully acknowledge Jill Boelter, Meghan M. Gillen, Shelley Hosterman, Eric Loken, Susan McHale, Lisa Meyer, Kristie Patton, Lyndsey Sturm, and Amber Thompson for their help with study design, data scoring and entering, data cleaning, and statistical analyses. We also thank Kelly Cichy, Anthony D'Augelli, Cindy Shearer, Tara Stoppa, Dena Swanson, Sara Vasilenko, and the reviewers for their thoughtful comments on earlier versions of this article.

Notes

Note. Raw and log transformation scores are reported for number of sexual partners. However, Fs were calculated with log transformations. Means for Ethnicity × Gender and effect sizes for interactions are not shown because interactions were not significant. Sample size (n = 208–248) is reduced because 41% of participants were not sexually active, and some data were missing. Response options for use of condoms and alcohol consumption were assessed on a five-point scale ranging from 1 (never), 2 (some of the time), 3 (most of the time), 4 (every time except once), to 5 (every time).

∗∗p < .01. ∗∗∗p < .001.

Note. Due to missing data, sample size ranged from n = 415 to 432. Means for Ethnicity × Gender and effect sizes for interactions are not shown because interactions were not significant.

∗p < .05. ∗∗∗p < .001.

Note. We performed separate regressions for all lifetime and 3-month behaviors and attitudes. This table presents only regressions where ethnic identity or its interactions were significant. LA = Latino American; AA = African American.

∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .01. ∗∗∗p < .001.