University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 12-2005 Adolescent Sexual Behaviors: Analyses of Context Catherine Marie Grello University of Tennessee, Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Grello, Catherine Marie, "Adolescent Sexual Behaviors: Analyses of Context. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2005. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/4306 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Catherine Marie Grello entitled "Adolescent Sexual Behaviors: Analyses of Context." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Psychology. Deborah P. Welsh, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Brian Barber, Robert Wahler, Warren Jones Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Catherine Marie Grello entitled "Adolescent Sexual Behaviors: Analyses of Context." I have examined the finalpaper copy of this dissertation for formand content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillmentof the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Psychology. We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Acceptance for the C�un�il: �u� Vice Chance:::nof Graduate Studies 1hes\s �oos!> ,G7� ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BERA VIORS: ANALYSES OF CONTEXT A Dissertation Presented forthe Doctor of Philosophy Degree Universityof Tennessee, Knoxville Catherine Marie Grello Decemper 2005. ii DEDICATION Thisdissertation is dedicated to my husbandFred forhis never-ending encouragement and sacrificeduring my pursuit of higher education. To my children, William, Monica,Christina, Alexandra, and Matthewfor their support and understanding when I was unavailable. To my many friends,lab mates, classmates, and instructorsfor their assistance, consultation,and collaboration. To Deborah Welsh, my mentor and my friend, for always inspiring me and guiding me during this long and arduousjourney. Additionally, I dedicate this work to thememory of my parents,Elizabeth and Charles Maltmanwho taught tenacity. iii Acknowledgments I would like to thank Deborah Welsh forher guidance, time, and effortfor helping me to accomplish thisproject, as well as for serving as chair of my dissertation committee. I gratefullyacknowledge the contributionsof all who helped with this project, especially Melinda S. Harper,Karen Wetzel, Joseph W. Dickson, Peter Haugen, SharonRisch, AmyClaxton, Kate W�lson, andKelly Kaems, as well as numerous research assistants. My gratitudeis extended to Michael O'Neil and Lowell Gaertnerfor their statistical advise. I would also like to thank BrianBarber, WarrenJones, Robert Wahler, andLowell Gaertner forserving on my committee. Finally, I thankthe students ' whogenerously shared importantparts of their lives with us. This research was supportedby Grant ROI- HD39931 fromthe National Institute of Child Health and HumanDevelopment to Deborah Welsh. iv Abstract The threestudies presented in thispaper together examinedpersonal, psychological, and relational variablesand their association to adolescent sexual behaviors. By examining adolescent sexual behaviors in the context in which they are embedded and adding to our questions, non-coital sexual behaviors,the two studies presented here provide evidence that the relationship context is animportant consideration. For some adolescents engaging in sexual behaviors is likely symptomatic; however, for others engaging in sexualbehaviors is less problematic. V TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I INTRODUCTION ANDOVERV IEW Chapter Page I. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 2 Pathology FocusedParadigm and its Limitations................................... 3 Normative/DevelopmentalPerspective of Adolescent Sexuality........... 6 II. Sexuality.......................................................................................................... 9 Social Influences..................................................................................... 9 Biological Influences.... ....... ... ....... ...... ... .. .... .... .. .. .. .. ..... ....... .... ... 12 Psychological Influences. ... ... ...... ... .. .. .. ... ...... ... .. ..... ... .. .... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. 12 III. Adolescent RomanticRelationshi ps................................................................ 14 RomanticRelationships andSexual Transition.. ... .. .... ... ... ....... .. .. .. ... .. .. 16 RomanticRelationships, Sexual Behaviors, andDepressive Symptoms 16 IV. Obstacles to Adolescent Sexual Research....................................................... 18 V. Overviewof Empirical Studies ............. ....... .. ... ... ... .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .... .... .. ... 20 Study 1: Dating andSexual Relationship Trajectories and Adolescent Functioning . .. ........ .... ..... ... ....... .... .. ..... .... ......... .... .... .. .. .. .... ... ... .. .... 20 Study 2: No StringsAttached: The Natureof Casual Sex in Late Adolescence.................................................................................... 21 List of References . .. .. .. .. .... .. .... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 VI PART II DATING ANDSEXUAL RELA TIONSHIP TRAJECTORIES ANDADOLESCENT FUNCTIONING Chapter Page I. Acknowl�dgement .. ... .. .. .. ...... .... ... ... .. .. ... ...... ... .. ... .... .. .. .. ... .... .. ... .. .. .. .. 33 II. Abstract........................... ................................ �:............................................... 34 III. Introduction. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 5 IV. ResearchQuestions/l-lypotlieses ................. .................... ·................................. 39 V. Metliods....... .. ... .. .. ... .. ....... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. ....... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .... .. .. 40 Part1c1pan.ts.............................................................................................. 40 Measures ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .... ... .. .... .. .. .. .... ... .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. ... 41 VI. Results .... .... ... .. .. .. ... .. ...... .. .. ... .... ... ................ ..... ..... ... .... .. .. .. ... ..... ... ..... .... 44 VII. Discussion........................................................................................................ 52 List of References ..................................................................................................... 56 Appendix ... ..... ..... ......... ... .. .. .. ...... .. .... ... .... .. ...... .... .. .. .. ... ......... ... ... ..... .... .... .. .. 60 Vll PARTIII NO STRINGSATTACHED: THE NATURE OF CASUAL SEX IN LATE ADOLESCENCE Chapter Page I. Acknowledgements ... .. .. .. ... .. .. ...... ......... .. .. .. ... ...... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ... ......... .. .... 65 II. Abstract.................................. ........................· .................................................. 66 III. Introduction.. ....... .. .. .. .... ... .... .. ... .. .... ...... .... .. .. .. .... .... .. .. ....... ..... .... .. ...... .. .... ... 67 The Role of Gender and Evolutionary Theory ......... .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. ... 69 Gender Differencesand Casual Sex ... ... ...... .. ....... ....... .. .. ... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. 70 Love Styles and Non-CommittedSex ..................................................... 71 Psychological Functioning and Non-Committed Sex............................. 72 Alcohol Use andNon-Committed Sex ................................................... 74 Religiosity and Values ............................................................................ 74 IV. Research Questions and Hypotheses............................................................... 77 V. Methods.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .... .. .. ... ... .. ...... .. .. ............. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 80 Participants....................................................... :...................................... 80 Measmes ................................................................................................. 81 VI. Results ... .. .. ... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ... .. .. .... ... .. ... ... 85 Individual Factors Associated with Non-CommittedSex ...................... 85 Alcohol, Drug Use, and Casual Sex........................................................ 87 The Natureof the Casual Sex Relationship............................................ 87 Religiosity and Casual Sex . ....... ..... .... .. ..... ..... .. ....... .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. ....... ... 89 Casual Sex and Love Styles...................................................................