Impact of Social Capital on Adolescent Risky Sexual Behavior, Differentiated by Gender

• In Event: 41021 - Student Forum Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 9: Global Family Dynamics

Abstract

This paper seeks to further the sociological understanding of adolescents who turn to risky behaviors, particularly in relation to social capital. Family instability and lower socioeconomic status are tied to increased risky behaviors and delinquency, especially in adolescence (Tolen 1988). Boys are known to engage in delinquency more commonly and more severely than girls– indicating that boys typically turn to externalizing behaviors, such as graffiti, theft, or even assault, while girls readily utilize internal behaviors such as interpersonal social actions or self harm (Broidy & Agnew 1997). I plan to estimate two regression models that explore how social capital affects the risky sexual behaviors of adolescents, differentiated by gender. The first model will investigate bonding social capital, and the second will use bridging social capital measures. I hypothesize that both bonding and bridging social capital will have a negative relationship with sexually risky behavior, but that bonding social capital will have a stronger influence. I also hypothesize that the protective effects of social capital will be stronger for girls than for boys.

Author

• Chloe Stoker, Brigham Young University-Provo