Sexual values among Latino youth: measurement development using a culturally based approach.

Full Abstract

Latino youth in the United States are at higher risk for negative sexual outcomes compared to their European American counterparts. Adherence to traditional sexual values may protect against or increase their risk. Past studies have generally utilized proxy measures, such as acculturation, to assess sexual values. The objective of the current study was to develop and test culturally based sexual values measures among Latino youth. Focus groups and qualitative interviews were conducted to generate themes related to sexual values. Six measures were developed:
three related to gender role norms (Sexual Talk as Disrespectful, Satisfaction of Sexual Needs as Important, Female Virginity as Important) and three related to comfort regarding sexuality (Comfort with Sexual Communication, Sexual Comfort, and Sexual Self-Acceptance). The scales' psychometric properties were assessed in a sample of 694 sexually active young Latinos. Results indicate that these measures conformed to single-factor scales and displayed acceptable reliabilities. Correlations with conceptually related measures were in hypothesized directions. Findings suggest it is feasible to directly assess sexual values in a valid and reliable manner. The measures presented in the current article represent tools for such assessment.

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Author information

Author/s: Deardorff, Julianna (J); Tschann, Jeanne M (JM); Flores, Elena (E);

Affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0981, USA. jdeardorff@cc.ucsf.edu

Grants: K12 HD 052163-06 (Agency:United States NICHD) ; R01 AI 49146 (Agency:United States NIAID) ; T32 MH 019391 (Agency:United States NIMH)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology (Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Apr; vol 14 (issue 2) : pp 138-46

Dates: Created 2008/04/22; Completed 2008/07/17;

PMID: 18426286, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Gender Identity
Hispanic Americans - psychology
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Male
Sexual Behavior - ethnology; psychology
Social Values
Unsafe Sex - ethnology; psychology

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