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Sexual Intercourse and Pregnancy among African American Adolescent Girls in High-Poverty Neighborhoods: The Role of Family and Perceived Community Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Mignon R. Moore
  • P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale

Abstract

Data are used from a random sample of African-American families living in poor urban communities to address three questions: 1) How well do socialization, supervision, and marital transition hypotheses explain the relationship between family structure and the probability of sexual debut and pregnancy for black adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods? 2) How does the quality of the parent-child relationship relate to the probability of initiating sex and experiencing a pregnancy for girls in these neighborhoods? And 3) given a context of structural disadvantage, to what extent is an individual's ability to participate in the more socially organized aspects of her community correlated with delayed sexual activity? There is limited support for socialization, supervision, and marital transition hypotheses as explanations for the probability of sexual debut and pregnancy. Stronger parent-child relationships are associated with delayed sexual onset, but are not related to pregnancy experience. Adolescents' perceptions of social support and cohesion among neighborhood adults are correlated with a decreased probability of pregnancy, while the odds of pregnancy are higher for teenagers with no working adults in their social networks.

Suggested Citation

  • Mignon R. Moore & P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, 1999. "Sexual Intercourse and Pregnancy among African American Adolescent Girls in High-Poverty Neighborhoods: The Role of Family and Perceived Community Environment," JCPR Working Papers 117, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:wop:jopovw:117
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. L. L. Wu & A. J. Cherlin & L. L. Bumpass, "undated". "Family Structure, Early Sexual Behavior, and Premarital Births," Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Papers 1125-97, University of Wisconsin Institute for Research on Poverty.
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    5. Karin Brewster, 1994. "Neighborhood context and the transition to sexual activity among young black women," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 31(4), pages 603-614, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rebekah Levine Coley & P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, 1999. "Welfare, Poverty, and Financial Strain In Urban African American Families with Adolescent Daughters," JCPR Working Papers 116, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
    2. Laura D. Pittman & P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, 1999. "African American Adolescent Girls in Impoverished Communities: Quality of Parenting and Adolescent Outcomes," JCPR Working Papers 119, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.

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