Discrepancies between young people’s self-reported sexual experience and their perceptions of ‘normality’
Megan S. Lim A B D , Campbell K. Aitken A B , Jane S. Hocking A C and Margaret E. Hellard A BA Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Vic. 3004, Australia.
B Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.
C Key Centre for Women’s Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: lim@burnet.edu.au
Sexual Health 6(2) 171-172 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH09001
Submitted: 5 January 2009 Accepted: 24 February 2009 Published: 18 May 2009
Abstract
Young people’s sexual behaviour is influenced by their perceptions of peer norms. In this survey of 445 people aged 16 to 29 years, 69% of participants believed they had fewer lifetime sexual partners than average. The mean number of actual lifetime partners reported was 5.5 and the mean perceived ‘average’ partners for peers was 6.6 (P < 0.01). When broken down by age and sex, the discrepancy was only significant for females aged 16 to 19. Comparison to a national survey also showed that peers’ average sexual experience was overestimated. Adolescents are highly susceptible to the influence of peer norms, hence it is concerning that their perceptions of these norms are so distorted.
Additional keywords: adolescent, norms, perception, sexual experience.
Acknowledgements
Megan Lim was supported by a Monash University Postgraduate Publication Award. This study was funded by an Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council grant. Margaret Hellard receives funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
[1] Moore S, Rosenthal D. Adolescents’ perceptions of friends’ and parents’ attitudes to sex and sexual risk-taking. J Community Appl Soc Psychol 1991; 1 189–200.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[2] Zimmer-Gembeck MJ, Siebenbruner J, Collins WA. A prospective study of intraindividual and peer influences on adolescents’ heterosexual romantic and sexual behavior. Arch Sex Behav 2004; 33 381–94.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
[3]
[4] Kinsman SB, Romer D, Furstenberg FF, Schwarz DF. Early sexual initiation: the role of peer norms. Pediatrics 1998; 102 1185–92.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[5] Albarracin D, Kumkale GT, Johnson BT. Influences of social power and normative support on condom use decisions: a research synthesis. AIDS Care 2004; 16 700–23.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | CAS | PubMed |
[6] Roche JP, Ramsbey TW. Premarital sexuality: a five-year follow-up study of attitudes and behavior by dating stage. Adolescence 1993; 28 67–70.
| CAS | PubMed |
[7] Cohen LL, Shotland RL. Timing of first sexual intercourse in a relationship: expectations, experiences and perceptions of others. J Sex Res 1996; 33 291–9.
[8] Lim MSC, Hocking JS, Aitken CK, Jordan L, Fairley CK, Hellard ME. A randomised controlled trial of the impact of email and text (SMS) messages on the sexual health of young people. Sex Health 2007; 4 290.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[9] de Visser RO, Smith AM, Rissel CE, Richters J, Grulich AE. Sex in Australia: Heterosexual experience and recent heterosexual encounters among a representative sample of adults. Aust N Z J Public Health 2003; 27 217–22.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |
