| This study examined the relationship between the use of various mass media, particularly sexually suggestive media, and sexual attitudes and behaviors among adolescents. Respondents were primarily freshmen at a state university (N = 115) and at a private Christian liberal arts college (N = 275) in the Midwestern United States. Respondents completed a 200-item survey that asked about social factors including family, education, church, and peers, and use of television, motion pictures, and other mass media. The dependent variables in the study were sexual attitudes, sexual debut, age at sexual debut, number of sexual partners, frequency of sexual intercourse, and condom use. Backward elimination multiple linear and binary logistic regression were used to identify significant predictors of each dependent variable among the independent variables on all respondents, respondents by educational institution, and by gender.; Although some measures of media use did appear as predictors, social variables were generally found to be stronger predictors of sexual attitudes and behaviors. Religiosity, estimate of the number of sexually active peers, sexual attitudes, and parents' education appeared as strong predictors of several measures of sexual behavior. Use of more sexually suggestive media generally was not a strong predictor of sexual attitudes nor of most sexual behaviors. However, more use of motion pictures rated R was found to predict more likely condom use rather than less.; Religiosity, estimate of the number of peers who were sexually active, pressure from peers to have sex, and importance of media as a source of sexuality information were the strongest predictors of sexual attitudes. Sexual attitudes, religiosity, parents' education, estimate of number of sexually active peers, and weekly cable television use were strong predictors of sexual debut. Parent opposition to teenage sexual activity, sexuality education content, and viewing motion pictures rated G or PG were the strongest predictors of age at sexual debut. Sexual attitudes, religiosity, estimate of number of sexually active peers, importance of "what my close friends think of me," and viewing television programs with no or low sexual content were the strongest predictors of number of sexual partners. Religiosity, estimate of number of sexually active peers, and parents' education were the strongest predictors of frequency of sexual intercourse. Importance of "what my close friends think of me" was the strongest predictor of condom use at sexual debut. More weekly print media use and more viewing of motion pictures rated R also predicted more likely condom use at sexual debut. More viewing of motion pictures rated R predicted more consistent condom use. |
