Athletic Participation and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents

Taking place in Western New York with a sample size of 611 adolescents, this study tests hypotheses about the effects of sports and sexual behavior. The researchers find a correlation between levels of adolescent sexual outcomes and levels of athletic participation: female athletes reported significantly lower rates of sexual activity than female nonathletes; male athletes report slightly (though not significantly) higher rates than male nonathletes. Race, age, socioeconomic status, quality of family relations, and participation in other extracurricular activities were found to be significant factors in the gender-specific effect of sports on sexual behavior. To explain how such athletic participation influences both traditional cultural scripts and exchange resources, the researchers introduce "cultural resource theory." They conclude that these cultural scripts and exchange resources among adolescents condition their sexual bargaining processes and the outcomes.