Abstract
The relations among sexual self-acceptance, communication with sexual partners about sex and contraception, and contraceptive use were examined prospectively among 201 adolescent women. Sexually active female adolescents ages 14 to 19 participated in initial interviews at adolescent medicine clinics and in follow-up interviews 6 months later. Young women with greater sexual self-acceptance at baseline communicated more with their sexual partners about sex and contraception. In turn, those who engaged in more discussion of contraception subsequently reported more effective and more frequent contraceptive use during the following 6 months. However, communication about sex was not related to later contraceptive use. Only communication specifically about contraception mediated the relation between sexual self-acceptance and contraceptive use. The results highlight the importance of emotional and interpersonal processes in contraceptive behavior.
