Adolescent Sexual Risk Assessment

Abstract

This article describes the use of a self-administered event history calendar and interviews about sexual partners, sexual activity, and contraception within the broader context of the adolescent's life. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the event history calendar interview data. Detailed 5- to 9-year sexual histories were obtained on the event history calendars, including patterns of sexual activity progression and triggers for unintended sexual intercourse. Discussions of protective and risky sexual decision making were stimulated by adolescents' self-report of sexual risk behavior in their own words and reflective responses on the event history calendar. Both the adolescents and the interviewers thought the calendars encouraged recall and discussion of sexual risk behavior.

Using occupational history calendars to capture lengthy and complex working lives: a mixed method approach with older people

“…Some researchers have used life history calendar techniques in conjunction with interviews (e.g. Martyn & Martin, 2003;Harris & Parisi, 2007;Nelson, 2010;Scott-Ricks & Harrison, 2011). In these studies, priority was given to the qualitative data with basic descriptive statistics used to demonstrate trends in calendar data.…”

“…To this end, some researchers have started to use calendar based life history review instruments qualitatively (Harris & Parisi, 2007;Martyn & Martin, 2003;Nelson, 2010). The appeal of using calendars in a qualitative context not only lies in their capacity to foster insights (Belli & Callegaro, 2009) but can lead to enhanced researcher -participant interaction and better understanding of the issues under investigation (Harris & Parisi, 2007).…”

Combining In-Depth Biographical Interviews with the LIVES History Calendar in Studying the Life Course of Children of Immigrants

“…Several scholars have argued that the use of a history calendar, as compared to a standard biographical questionnaire, improves the validity and quantity of the data collected (Barbeiro and Spini 2015;Belli 2007;Belli and Callegaro 2009;Glasner and Van der Vaart 2009;Martyn and Martin 2003). The calendar is a flexible tool that allows the development of sequential (in the same column or domain of life) and parallel (by comparing the data in different dimensions of life) retrieval strategies (Belli and Callegaro 2009: 35).…”

“…Alternatively, it is the interviewee who tells his or her own story, also while answering to a question, while pointing at the relevant event or year on the calendar with a finger.. Third, the calendar may make possible the narration of a difficult life event (parental death, illness or negative critical events) that would otherwise be left aside in the narrative interview. In fact, it is sometimes easier for the interviewee to write a traumatic event on a calendar than to mention it during an open interview (Martyn and Martin 2003). It is also easier for the interviewer to ask a question about a difficult life event when it is already mentioned on the calendar by asking, "Can you tell me more about this event?."…”

Gender Differences in the Influence of Protective Factors, Risk Factors, and Health Risk Behaviors on HIV Risk Behaviors Among Youth in South Florida

“…A greater involvement with school and extra-curricular activities is related to less sexual risk-taking, including later age at initial sexual experience and the use of contraception (Aspy et al, 2012;Kirby, 2002a). In a study analyzing self-reported sexual histories, adolescent girls who participated in extracurricular activities, volunteer clubs, and sports were less likely to be involved in sexual risk (Martyn & Martin, 2003). School involvement is a protective factor under PBT's behavior system (Jessor et al, 1998a(Jessor et al, , 1998b and is found to be associated with sexual risk behavior and mediated by the effect of family structure, class position, and race on youth sexual risk behavior (Ramirez-Valles et al, 1998).…”