Race and Gender Differences in Theories of Sexual Behavior among Rural Adolescents Residing in AFDC Families

Abstract

This study of 414 adolescents who resided with rural Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) families in 10 counties of Arkansas was designed to determine what demographic and theoretical factors from control, strain, and social learning theories predicted sexual intercourse in the past year and lifetime sexual partners among African American and Caucasian females and males. Only among Caucasian females was support found for the hypothesis that attachment to mother is inversely related to experience of sexual intercourse in the past year. Among females of color, beliefs were inversely related to behavior. Results also showed that family support inhibits sexual intercourse among Caucasian females, that confidence that one can escape welfare dependency is associated with having no sexual partners among females of color, and that feelings of frustration are positively related to having had sexual intercourse. Theoretical implications of these and other findings are discussed.