Ambivalence in Adolescents' Decisions about Having Their First Sexual Intercourse

Abstract

This study, based on sexual script theory, assessed ambivalence in the decision to have sexual intercourse for the first time in 687 adolescents. On average, adolescents showed moderate levels of ambivalence. Younger adolescents, students from the highest school track, adolescents with less positive body image, those with higher love attitudes, those who did not take the initiative to have intercourse, and those feeling pressured to have sex showed higher levels of ambivalence during their decisions. Higher levels of decisional ambivalence about having intercourse were associated with a later age at the time of first intercourse and with a lower probability of contraceptive use. This study concludes that some levels of ambivalence are common in young people's decisions about having coitus as they have to negotiate contradictory sexual scripts, beliefs, and needs.

This study was supported by a grant from the German Research Foundation as part of the Priority Program 1161 (Grant No. Pi291/7).

Notes

Note. N = 687, except correlations of age at first intercourse and contraception use (N = 354).

Note. CI = confidence interval.

Note. Age was not included as an independent variable in the Cox regression analysis, as the dependent variable is age at first intercourse. df = 1. CI = confidence interval.

Note. df = 1. CI = confidence interval.