Intent to perform protective behaviors to prevent pregnancy in the adolescent female age 13-18

A descriptive, correlational study was conducted to determine the relationships postulated in the Martin Model by using measurement model estimation with the LISREL 7 program. The purpose of the study was to provide theoretical support and validation of already existing knowledge about cognitive factors influencing adolescent decision-making to use protective behaviors to prevent pregnancy. Data were collected from a sample of (N = 858) adolescent females age 13-18 from three schools in rural East Texas.

Four measurement instruments were used to collect data. The Self-Efficacy Scale was used to measure general and social self-efficacy. Decision-making was measured with three subscales of the Problem Solving Inventory: Adolescent Version: problem-solving confidence, approach-avoidance style, and personal control. Intent behaviors were measured with fifteen items extracted from the Adolescent Curriculum Evaluation that evaluated contraceptive responsibility.

Confirmatory factor analysis using the LISREL 7 program determined the goodness of fit of the model to the data collected from a sample (N = 641) of subjects with complete data sets. The sample was divided into two groups of self-reported sexually non-active (SNA, n = 320) and sexually active (SA, n = 321) subjects. Estimation of the Martin Model revealed non-significant chi-square statistics for both groups indicating a good fit of the model to the data. Multi-sample analysis also confirmed that the model fit the data and that variance existed between the SNA and SA groups response on the observed variables.

Determination of variance between the groups was calculated with t tests and revealed statistically significant differences in responses between the SNA and SA groups on all measures. The SNA group were found to have high self-efficacy, more confidence in problem-solving, and accepted more responsibility for contraception. ANOVA results did not provide support of statistically significant differences between the groups across the age range in responses to the measured variables.