Sociocultural Beliefs Related to Sex among Mexican American Adolescents

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the cultural content of two domains related to antecedents of sexual behavior among Mexican American adolescents: preferred partner qualities and reasons to have or not have sex. Domain analysis, a qualitative research methodology drawn from anthropology, was employed. The methodology involved two phases. First, male andfemale adolescents listed positive and negative items in each of these two domains; second, 16 male and 21 female adolescents classified these items using a simple pile-sort procedure. Results suggest that partner qualities and reasons to have sex expressed by the adolescents are reflective of important Mexican American cultural values and gender-specific expectations. The study provides an understanding of cultural and gender-specific beliefs related to sexual decision making among Mexican American adolescents.