Predictors of sixth graders engaging in sexual intercourse

Researchers explored factors related to sixth graders' sexual behavior. Fir st, level of sexual behavior and sexual behavior intentions were examined. Second, health-related risk behaviors and constructs from Social Support an d Social Cognitive theories were analyzed based on race and gender to deter mine their predictive value for sixth graders engaging in sexual intercours e. Findings indicated that very few sixth graders engaged in sexual interco urse or in high-risk behaviors such as smoking. Of the risk factors examine d, smoking was the highest predictor of engaging in sexual intercourse for all categories of race and gender. Of the constructs, Efficacy Expectations consistently predicted engaging in sexual intercourse for all race and gen der categories.