Sexual Behaviors in Mexico: The Role of Values and Gender Across Adolescence

Abstract

Adolescent sexuality research has expanded to include noncoital behaviors, but there is limited knowledge about individual factors such as cultural values associated with these sexual behaviors outside of industrialized nations. Thus, we examined associations between Latino values (familism, sexual guilt, and importance of female virginity) and three sexual behaviors (making out, oral sex, and vaginal sex), among adolescents ages 12-19 (53% female) in Mexico. Findings indicate that sexual guilt and importance of female virginity were consistently associated with all sexual behaviors. Some associations differed by gender and school level. For instance, sexual guilt was a better predictor of high school girls' oral and vaginal sex. This study expands our understanding of adolescent sexuality in Mexico.

Figure 1

Effect of importance of female virginity and sexual guilt on oral sex, calculated separately for male and female middle and high school students. MS = Middle school, HS = High school, M = Male, F = Female. Diamonds indicate statistically significant slope (p < .05).

Figure 2

Effect of importance of female virginity and sexual guilt on vaginal sex, calculated separately for male and female middle and high school students. MS = Middle school, HS = High school, M = Male, F = Female. Diamonds indicate statistically significant slope (p < .05).