Styles, Qualities, and Sexual Behavior in Young People's Romantic Relationships: A Longitudinal Examination of Within-Person and Between-Person Effects

<p>The prevalence of early sexual behavior places many youth at risk for unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. The purpose of this study is to examine the interplay among romantic styles, relationship qualities, and sexual behavior at both the within-person and between-person levels. Frequencies of light nongenital, heavy nongenital, and genital sexual behavior were examined as well as risky sexual behavior. 200 young people from a community sample were assessed at six time points from ages 15 through 21. Avoidant styles were associated with less frequent sexual behavior at both within- and between-person levels, and with more risky sexual behavior at the between-person level. Support and more frequent sexual behavior were significantly associated at the within-person level, and gender moderated associations between support and sexual behavior at the between-person level. Participants who reported more negative interactions in comparison with their peers reported more frequent and more risky sexual behavior. Only avoidant styles exhibited a similar pattern of between-person and within-person associations with sexual behavior, suggesting that styles and qualities may operate at either or both levels depending on the construct in question. Associations among styles, qualities and sexual behavior may also depend on how sexual behavior is measured.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Joppa, Meredith Cerian

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wyndol Furman, Ph.D.
• Julia Dmitrieva
• Benjamin Hankin
• Bruce Pennington
• Maria Riva

• Adolescence
• Attachment
• Emerging adulthood
• Hierarchical linear modeling
• Romantic relationships
• Sexual behavior
• Counseling
• Gender and Sexuality
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/837

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-1836