Teens, Romance, and Contraception? The Quality of Teen Relationships Influences Decisions About Contraception
New research from Child Trends indicates that teens in strong, positive romantic relationships are more likely to use contraception. The study finds:
- Teens who identify their relationships as "romantic" and who spend more time with their partners in dating activities are more likely to use contraceptives.
- Female teens who discuss contraception with their partners before sex are twice as likely to practice safe sex.
- Female teens whose partners are similar to themselves, particularly in age, are more likely to use contraception.
- Teens continue habits from previous relationships. Those who used contraception consistently in an earlier relationship (either on their own initiative or from a partner) are more likely to also do so in a current relationship, indicating that teens may learn from their experiences across relationships.
A new fact sheet summarizes the findings of the study, which was published in the journal Demography and analyzes survey data from high school students to identify contraceptive use patterns. PRESS RELEASE
