Structuring the Future: Anticipated Life Events, Peer Networks, and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Abstract

While prior research has established associations between individual expectations of future events and risk behavior among adolescents, the potential effects of peers’ future perceptions on risk-taking have been overlooked. We extend prior research by testing whether peers’ anticipation of college completion is associated with adolescent sexual risk-taking. We also examine whether adolescents’ perceptions of the negative consequences of pregnancy and idealized romantic relationship scripts mediate the association between peers’ anticipation of college completion and sexual risk-taking. Results from multivariate regression models with data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) indicate peers’ anticipation of college completion is negatively associated with a composite measure of sexual risk-taking and positively associated with the odds of abstaining from sexual intercourse and only engaging in intercourse with a romantic partner (compared to having intercourse with a non-romantic partner). In addition, perceptions of the negative consequences of pregnancy and sexualized relationship scripts appear to mediate a large portion of the association between peers’ anticipation of future success and sexual risk-taking and the likelihood of abstaining (but not engaging in romantic-only intercourse). Results from our study underscore the importance of peers in shaping adolescent sexual behavior.

Neighborhoods and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior

“…Subcultures of early sexual initiation, sexual promiscuity, and early childbearing arguably emerge when youth anticipate dim and limited futures as the result of exposure to chronic disadvantage (Soller and Haynie 2013). Empirical evidence, nonetheless, is mixed as to whether youths’ own perceptions of themselves and their future opportunities affect engagement in risky behavior.…”

“…Moreover, some studies find that youth who perceive limited futures and fewer costs are more likely to engage in risky behaviors (Borowsky, Ireland, and Resnick 2009; Edin and Kefalas 2005). Yet, most studies demonstrate that youths’ own aspirations and perceptions of the future are not associated with engagement in risky sexual behavior (Cubbin et al 2010; Oman et al 2013; Soller and Haynie 2013). Strong evidence indicates, nonetheless, that youth whose peers have diminished aspirations and/or who engage in risky behaviors are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including risky sex (Baumer and South 2001; Browning et al, 2004, 2008; Moore and Chase-Lansdale 2001; Oman et al 2013; Soller and Haynie 2013).…”

Do differences in expectations and preferences explain racial/ethnic variation in family formation outcomes?

“…The Wisconsin model (Sewell et al, 1969) portends that psychosocial factors like peer aspirations and parental support are central to attainment processes and these too may be central to family formation. Recent research on adolescent risk behaviors-like early sexual debut-finds that peers aspirations are more predictive of risky behaviors than one's personal aspirations (Soller & Haynie, 2013). Warner, Giordano, Manning, and Longmore (2011) note as well that the normative attitudinal climate in neighborhoods also exerts a strong influence on youths' sexual behaviors.…”

The Impact of Future Expectations on Adolescent Sexual Risk Behavior

“…Furthermore, expectations of living to age 35 were not significantly associated with age of onset of sexual activity in the multivariate analysis for either gender (Harris et al 2002). Additionally, data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health suggest that only peers’ anticipation—and not an individual’s anticipation— of college completion is associated with sexual risk behaviors (Soller and Haynie 2013). The empirical evidence for the association between future expectations and sexual risk behavior therefore is currently weak and suggests the need for additional research.…”

“…Much of the current research has employed cross-sectional designs, which obscure temporality, and has used homogenous samples, including minority race/ethnicities and low-income subpopulations, that potentially have low external validity. Furthermore, future expectations is inherently multidimensional (Nurmi 1991; McCabe and Barnett 2000a, b), but many of these studies rely only on one dimension of expectations, such as educational expectations (Harris et al 2002; Soller and Haynie 2013), or measure expectations to reflect the extent to which they are positive or negative (Fisher et al 2008; Tevendale et al 2009). More rigorous longitudinal research using general adolescent population and a multidimensional construct of future expectations is needed to better understand this relationship further between future expectations and sexual risk behavior among adolescents.…”