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. 2009 Jul-Aug;46(4):290-300.
doi: 10.1080/00224490802666241.

Work and sexual trajectories among African American youth

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Work and sexual trajectories among African American youth

Jose A Bauermeister et al. J Sex Res. 2009 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

The beneficial or deleterious effects of employment on youth and well-being have been highly contested. This study explores whether work influences youths' sexual risk correlates in a sample of African Americans (N = 562; 55% females; M = 14.5 years, SD = 0.6 years) followed longitudinally from adolescence to early adulthood. The study used growth curve modeling to test the association between number of hours worked and condom use, sex partners' age differences, and number of partners over time. Working a greater number of hours was associated with less condom use, with the effect varying by youths' grade point average. Working a greater number of hours was associated with older sex partners among female youth. No association was found between work and number of partners. The findings suggest that working during adolescence and early adulthood increased participants' sexual activity, thus lending some support for the work consequences perspective. The implications for future research and youth development programs are discussed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Inconsistent Condom Use by GPA among African American youth across adolescence and early adulthood. LI = low intensity (20 hours or less); HI = high intensity (21 hours or more).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of Work Intensity on Sex Partner Age Differences among African American youth across adolescence and early adulthood. The effect of work was only predictive for female youth [LI = low intensity (20 hours or less), HI = high intensity (21 hours or more)]. Note. Measure created by subtracting participant’s age at the time of interview from the reported age of their last sexual partner in each Wave (e.g., Participant’s age - Sex Partner’s Age). Partner’s age was not collected at Wave 1.

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