Objective: This paper seeks to answer the questions: "Does a history of sexual abuse predict risky sexual behavior for females? If so, by what mechanisms does this correlation occur?" Method: A literature review was conducted to identify research articles that investigated the correlation between sexual abuse and sexual behavior. Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Medline a...

BACKGROUND As reflected in elevated rates of sexually transmitted infections, there is a high prevalence of risky sexual behavior among Ugandan university students. It has been assumed that alcohol contributes to risky sexual behavior. However, perhaps owing to methodological issues, this relationship has found only mixed support in empirical research. The present study analyzes the association...

Adolescents engage in more risky behavior when they are with peers and show, on average, heightened susceptibility to peer influence relative to children and adults. However, individual differences in susceptibility to peer influence are not well understood. The current study examined whether the effect of peers on adolescents’ risky decision making was moderated by pubertal status. Participant...

Teenage drivers, especially males, have higher rates of motor vehicle crashes and engage in riskier driving behavior than adults. Motor vehicle deaths disproportionately impact youth from poor and minority communities and in many communities there are higher rates of risky behaviors among minority youth. In this paper, the authors review the data on teens, risky driving behaviors, and morbidity...

Although research supports the influence of parents and peers on adolescent risky behavior, less is known about mechanisms proposed to explain this relation. This study examined the influence of adolescent attitudes and intentions about such behaviors. Prospective, longitudinal data came from rural youth who participated throughout adolescence (n= 451). Observed harsh parenting and relationship...

Previous research has established conscientiousness as a predictor of longevity (H. S. Friedman et al., 1993; L. R. Martin & H. S. Friedman, 2000). To better understand this relationship, the authors conducted a meta-analysis of conscientiousness-related traits and the leading behavioral contributors to mortality in the United States (tobacco use, diet and activity patterns, excessive alcohol u...

The present study examines the individual and joint contributions of personality, situations, and relationship contexts as they shape risky sexual behaviors. Data on 7,511 discrete sexual events collected from a community sample of 1,946 young adults were analyzed with multilevel modeling. Results showed that meaningful between-persons differences in risky sexual behavior exist and that these d...

The health decision-making dynamics of adolescents in New York and Montana are assessed. Ninth-grade students were asked to make a decision on a hypothetical dilemma scenario. From their choice they were classified as either health-promoting decision makers (HPDM) or health-risky decision makers (HRDM). They were subsequently asked a series of questions dealing with future health choices, degre...

Mass adult male circumcision campaigns for HIV prevention are underway across much of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, concern remains about risk compensation associated with the reduction in the probability of HIV transmission per risky act. This paper examines the behavioral response to male circumcision in Kisumu, Kenya. Contrary to the presumption of risk compensation, we find that the response...