Psychological Inclinations Associated with Adolescents’ Sexual Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Gender

Abstract

Aims: The magnitude of the present day hetero-sexual behaviour can be traceable to several factors ranging from the developmental increase in height, size and weight to the high libido, lopsidedness in societal values, modem technology, and individual’s psychological dispositions. The study examined some psychological inclinations associated with adolescents’ sexual behavior among Nigerian adolescents. Also, the study investigated the effect of gender on psychological inclinations associated with adolescents’ sexual behavior. Methodology: 3000 randomly selected adolescents from the Senior Secondary School students in the 4 educational zones (Remo, Ijebu, Yewa & Egba) in Ogun State, Nigeria took part in the study. Two instruments were used for collection of data; Multidimensional Relationship Questionnaire and a self-developed questionnaire tagged “Sexual Relationship Behavior Inventory (SRBI)’. Results: Data collected were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis, and correlation coefficient statistical tools. Findings revealed no significant gender difference in adolescents’ sexual behavior (t = 1.791, p = .013) while a significant difference was observed in the level of psychological inclinations between male and female adolescents (t = 3.007, p = .000). A significant relationship was found between adolescents’ sexual behavior and psychological inclinations (r = .697; p = .000). Result also showed that 27.4 percent of the total variance in adolescents’ sexual behavior is accounted for by the combination of the psychological inclinations (F (12, 2948) = 18.704; P = .021). Male adolescents were found to have higher quality of relational esteem, internal control, relational motivation, and relational satisfaction, while the female higher on relational preoccupation, consciousness, anxiety, assertiveness, depression, monitoring and fear. Conclusion: On the basis of the findings, it was suggested that adequate parent-child interpersonal relationship and active listening to teens’ languages and emotional concerns should be employed by the parents, if they are to assist their teens in building a viable sexual lives.