Neighborhood Social Factors and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

• In Event: 30461 - Section on Children and Youth Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 3. Kids' Health and Wellbeing

Abstract

Neighborhood collective efficacy has been shown to be protective for outcomes such as crime and negative health outcomes. Adolescent sexual behavior is influenced by a combination of individual, social, and community level factors. There is a growing body of literature suggesting that adolescent sexual behavior may be shaped by neighborhood social factors, such as neighborhood collective efficacy. Using data from Wave 6 of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we ask, does the likelihood of having had sex vary based on neighborhood social factors, such as collective efficacy, presence of gangs, and neighborhood safety? Our preliminary results indicate that there is a relationship between neighborhood social factors and likelihood of having had sex, but that individual sexual behavior factors may matter even more in predicting likelihood of having had sex, at least among teenagers.

Authors

• Colleen Wynn, University of Indianapolis

• Elizabeth Ziff, University of Indianapolis