College of Behavioral & Social Sciences

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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..

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    Risky Sexual Behavior in College Students with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Is a Positive Parent-Child Relationship Protective?
    (2012) Huggins, Suzanne Lorraine; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Psychology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    College presents a novel context with decreased parental supervision, increased rates of alcohol and illicit drug use, and increased access to potential sexual partners. It may be especially challenging for students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Research has shown that young adult males with ADHD engage in risky sexual behaviors (RSB); however, little to no research has been done on females or college students with ADHD, nor have prior studies examined environmental factors that may moderate risk. We examined whether ADHD is associated with RSB among college students and whether parent-child relationship quality moderated that relationship. Participants included 92 undergraduates, approximately half with ADHD and half without. Results indicated that the interaction between gender and ADHD status was associated with condom use frequency and age of first sexual experience. Further, the interaction between parent-child relationship and ADHD accounted for significant variance in number of sexual partners in the past year.
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    Following the Leader: Examining peer influence on sexual behavior
    (2009) Bears, Megan Ann; McGloin, Jean M; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)
    A number of previous studies have found that peers influence adolescent sexual behavior. Still, it remains unclear how the mechanisms of peer influence operate on the sexual behavior of adolescents. This is unfortunate because it limits theoretical clarity and inhibits the production of policy aimed at reducing adolescent sexual behavior. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this thesis extends upon current literature and determines the role of peer attitudes and behaviors on different forms of adolescent sexual behavior as measured by peer self-report data while addressing other limitations of previous research such as whether or not mechanisms of peer influence are conditioned by adolescent involvement with peers. The discussion of this work centers around the theoretical implications of the findings that peers do not influence all forms of sexual behavior and peer behaviors seem to be the only mechanism of peer influence that predict sexual onset.