Mexican-American Adolescent Sexuality and Sexual Knowledge: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study examined the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 84 Mexican-American adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19 years. Findings indicated that the level of sexual knowledge was low for all subjects regardless of gender, sexual experience, or age. The Pill, condoms, IUD, and spermacides were the most commonly known methods ofpregnancy prevention mentioned by the adolescents. Of the 18 subjects who were sexually active, few practiced any form of birth control. Slightly more than 75% of the adolescents also indicated that birth control makes sex seem preplanned. Finally, both male and female respondents appeared traditional in their attitudes toward sex, with virginity and the responsibility for birth control being more heavily weighted for females than males.