Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

885

Date

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Committee Chair

Wesley James

Committee Member

Martin L. Levin

Committee Member

Jeni Loftus

Abstract

Does intergenerational closure protect adolescents from sexual risk taking behaviors? Coleman's (1988) intergenerational closure and Schwartz's (1992) theory of basic values are frameworks to understanding adolescents' decisions about sex and birth control use. Data from the National Study of Youth and Religion, containing responses from adolescents and mothers to measure degrees of closure, are analyzed using logistic regression testing the effects of seven measures of intergenerartional closure on two outcomes, sex and birth control use. Concordance of religious identity and private religiosity protect adolescents from engaging in sexual intercourse, and concordance of attitudes towards teenage sex and reflective religiosity are positive indicators for birth control use. Adolescents who attend church regularly, reguardless of closure with thier mother, are less likely to use birth control, suggesting public religiosity is a powerful force in adolescent sexual behavior. Results confirm the hypothesis that closure is a protective factor in adolescent sexual behaviors.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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