A RESEARCH ON RISK FACTORS OF ADOLESCENT SEXUAL BEHAVIORS

청소년의 성행동 위험요인에 관한 연구

The focus of the research was on identifying the risk factors that may result in unprepared intercourse among the adolescent from an ecological systems prospective. A survey questionnaire was conducted from September through December 1999 to 2326 youths, ages from 13-18 years old. After eliminating thirty respondents from Unwed Mother's Home we found that 8.8% of the remaining respondents had experienced sexual intercourse. Of those, 5% of the female and 13.4% of male adolescents has had sexual intercourse, showing 2.7 times more for the male sample population. Broken down to age groups, 3.2% of the thirteen years old group and 19.2% of the eighteen years old group had experienced intercourse, an almost six fold increase in the older age group. To find out the differences between those who had and not had experienced intercourse the group was then divided into two comparative groups by same sex and age variables. Findings from comparative analysis identified five ecological system risk factors among the youth sample that had intercourse；First, individual factor：adolescents who thought less of themselves or didn't consider their potentials, those more exposed other risk behaviors such as drinking, smoking, drugs, runaway and come in contact with pornography, those who thought they knew more about sex and etc. Second, family factor：those who thought family was less important, had less supportive family, higher or lower income family and etc. Third, peer factor：Both groups thought friends were important and had their support. The group with intercourse experience seems to be think that more peers are experiencing other risk behavior. Fourth, school factor：Those in the group who had experienced intercourse seems to think school is less important and with lower academic achievements. Fifth, community factor：There were no statistical significant differences found between the two groups. The overall results from this study implies that if we want to prevent our youths from having unprepared intercourse during adolescence the significance of having meaningful emerging self, family relationship and school experience is important. This study identified the risk factors leading to adolescent sexual intercourse but further research is necessary in finding out about their predictability.

본 연구는 생태계 이론에 근거하여 비계획적인 청소년기 성행동의 위험 요인을 파악하고자 실시되었다. 1996년 9월 12월까지 13~18세 연령 범위의 청소년 2326명에게 설문을 실시하였다. 미혼모 보호소에 있는 대상을 제외하였을때 응답자외 8.8%가 과거 성행동 경험이 있다고 보고하였다. 그 글 남자는 13.4% 여자는 5.0%로서 남자가 2.7배 더 많았고 13세(3.2%)보다 18세(19.2%)에서 약 6배 더 많았다. 연령과 성별을 맞추어 성행동 경험군과 비경험군을 비교한 결과 다섯가지의 위험요인이 발견되었다. 첫째 개인요소로서 자신의 잠재된 능력에 대한 고려가 부족하고 음주, 흡연, 약물 복용, 가출등의 경력이 있거나 포르노에 노출된 경우 그리고 자신이 성에 대해서 많이 알고 있다고 생각하는 것들이 포함된다. 둘째 요인은 가족 요인으로서, 가족의 중요성을 덜 느끼고 가족의 지시를 덜 받는 경우, 수입이 높고 평균보다 많거나 적은 경우 등이 포함된다. 셋째 요인은 또래 문제로써, 친구들이 실제보다 더 많은 문제 행동을 하고 있다고 믿는 경향이 포함된다. 넷째, 학교 요인으로는 학교의 중요성을 느끼지 못하고 학업 능력이 좋지 않을 경우에 성행동 위험이 높아졌다. 자아가 형성되는 시기인 사춘기에 예기치 않은 성행동을 예방하기 위해서는 가족관계와 학교생활에 주목해야 하며, 본 연구에서 밝혀진 위험 요인들이 향후 성행동에 미치는 영향에 대한 전향적 연구가 필요하다고 할수 있다.