Adolescent sexual risk behavior: A multi-system perspective

Adolescents are at high, risk for a number of negative health consequences associated with early and unsafe sexual activity, including infection with human immunodeficiency virus, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unin tended pregnancy. As a result, researchers have attempted to identify those factors that influence adolescent sexual risk behavior so that meaningful prevention and intervention programs may be developed. We propose that rese arch efforts so far have been hampered by the adoption of models and perspe ctives that are narrow and do not adequately capture the complexity associa ted with the adolescent sexual experience. In this article, we review the r ecent literature (i.e., 1990-1999) pertaining to the correlates of adolesce nt sexual risk-taking; and organize the findings into a multisystemic persp ective. Factors from the self family, and extrafamilial systems of influenc e are discussed. We also consider several methodological problems that limi t the literature's current scope, and consider implications of the adoption of a multisystemic framework for future research endeavors. We conclude wi th a discussion of the implications of the available research for practitio ners working to reduce sexual risk behavior among adolescents. (C) 2001 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.