Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

To Have Sex or Not to Have Sex? An Online Focus Group Study of Sexual Decision Making Among Sexually Experienced and Inexperienced Gay and Bisexual Adolescent Men

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, yet healthy sexuality and HIV prevention programs grounded in experiences unique to AGBM (e.g., coming out) are lacking, as is the formative work necessary to inform such programs. A richer understanding of factors informing AGBM’s decisions to have or not have sex is needed. To fill this gap in the literature, we conducted qualitative and mixed-methods analyses of data collected in online focus groups with 75 ethnically diverse 14–18-year-old AGBM across the United States. Findings suggest that many reasons why AGBM choose to have or abstain from sex mirror those noted in the previous literature as influential for heterosexual adolescents (e.g., temptation, “horniness”). AGBM conveyed additional experiences/concerns that appeared unique to their sexual identity, particularly fears about pain during anal sex, and difficulties safely and accurately identifying same-sex partners. Both sexually experienced and inexperienced youth voiced reasons to wait or stop having sex. Sexually inexperienced youth said their motivations centered on wanting to avoid STIs and HIV, a desire to wait for the right partner, and the specialness of sex. On the other hand, sexually experienced AGBM said they stopped having sex if there was not an available partner they had interest in, or to improve their romantic relationship. Thus, while our findings suggest that there may be common factors across sexual identities that impact youth’s sexual decision making, healthy sexuality programs for AGBM also need to address issues specific to being gay and bisexual.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. We use the AGBM identifier because this study focuses specifically on adolescent boys that identify as gay, bisexual, or queer. These boys do not need to be sexually active to be involved in the study. However, much of the existing literature focuses on men who have sex with men (MSM) or lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. As such, we use these additional identifiers as appropriate to the context of the literature we are describing.

References

  • Abbott, D. A., & Dalla, R. L. (2008). ‘It’s a choice, simple as that’: Youth reasoning for sexual abstinence or activity. Journal of Youth Studies, 11(6), 629–649.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arrington-Sanders, R., Harper, G. W., Morgan, A., Ogunbajo, A., Trent, M., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2015). The role of sexually explicit material in the sexual development of same-sex-attracted Black adolescent males. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44, 597–608. doi:10.1007/s10508-014-0416-x.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Axinn, W. G., & Pearce, L. D. (2006). Mixed Method Data Collection Strategies. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, E. L. P., Sales, J. M., Elifson, K. W., & DiClemente, R. J. (2012). Motivations for secondary abstinence among African American females at risk for HIV/sexually transmitted infections. Journal of Black Psychology,. doi:10.1177/0095798412454678.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brady, S. S., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2008). Social and emotional consequences of refraining from sexual activity among sexually experienced and inexperienced youths in California. American Journal of Public Health, 98(1), 162–168.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carey, M. A., & Smith, M. W. (1994). Capturing the group effect in focus groups: A special concern in analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 4(1), 123–127. doi:10.1177/104973239400400108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CDC. (2013). HIV Surveillance Report, 2011 (Vol. 23). Atlanta, GA: Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, M. L., Shapiro, C. M., & Powers, A. M. (1998). Motivations for sex and risky sexual behavior among adolescents and young adults: A functional perspective. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(6), 1528–1558.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D’Augelli, A. R. (1994). Identity development and sexual orientation: Toward a model of lesbian, gay, and bisexual development. In E. J. Trickett, R. J. Watts, & D. Birman (Eds.), Human diversity: Perspectives on people in context (pp. 312–333). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, L. H., Shih, M.-C., de Moor, C., & Shrier, L. (2008). Reasons why adolescents and young adults have sex: Associations with psychological characteristics and sexual behavior. Journal of Sex Research, 45(3), 225–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dedoose. (2012). Dedoose: Web application for managing, analyzing, and presenting qualitative and mixed method data (Version 4.5.91). Los Angeles, CA: SocioCultural Research Consultants, LLC.

  • DeHaan, S., Kuper, L. E., Magee, J. C., Bigelow, L., & Mustanski, B. S. (2013). The interplay between online and offline explorations of identity, relationships, and sex: A mixed-methods study with LGBT youth. Journal of Sex Research, 50(5), 421–434. doi:10.1080/00224499.2012.661489.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L. M. (2003). What does sexual orientation orient? A biobehavioral model distinguishing romantic love and sexual desire. Psychological Review, 110(1), 173–192.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, L. M., & Savin-Williams, R. C. (2005). The intimate relationships of sexual-minority youths. In G. R. Adams & M. D. Berzonsky (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of adolescence (pp. 393–412). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.blackwellreference.com.

  • Diamond, L. M., Savin Williams, R. C., & Dube, E. M. (1999). Sex, dating, passionate friendships, and romance: Intimate peer relations among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents. In W. Furman, B. B. Brown, & C. Feiring (Eds.), The development of romantic relationships in adolescence (pp. 175–210). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eyre, S. L., & Millstein, S. G. (1999). What leads to sex? Adolescent preferred partners and reasons for sex. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 9(3), 277–307.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fleiss, J. L. (1971). Measuring nominal scale agreement among many raters. Psychological Bulletin, 76(5), 378–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fortenberry, J. D. (2014). Sexual learning, sexual experience, and healthy adolescent sex. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2014(144), 71–86. doi:10.1002/cad.20061.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fox, F. E., Morris, M., & Rumsey, N. (2007). Doing synchronous online focus groups with young people: Methodological reflections. Qualitative Health Research, 17(4), 539–547. doi:10.1177/1049732306298754.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garofalo, R., & Harper, G. W. (2003). Not all adolescents are the same: Addressing the unique needs of gay and bisexual male youth. Adolescent Medicine, 14(3), 595–611.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. T. (2010). Reframing research on adolescent sexuality: Healthy sexual development as part of the life course. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 42(1), 6–7. doi:10.1363/4200610.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, G. W. (2007). Sex isn’t that simple: Culture and context in HIV prevention interventions for gay and bisexual male adolescents. American Psychologist, 62(8), 803–819.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harper, G. W., & Riplinger, A. J. (2013). HIV prevention interventions for adolescents and young adults: What about the needs of gay and bisexual males? AIDS and Behavior, 17(3), 1082–1095. doi:10.1007/s10461-012-0178-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hillier, L., Mitchell, K. J., & Ybarra, M. L. (2012). The internet as a safety net: findings from a series of online focus groups with LGB and non-LGB young people in the United States. Journal of LGBT Youth, 9(3), 225–246. doi:10.1080/19361653.2012.684642.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kubicek, K., Beyer, W. J., Weiss, G., Iverson, E., & Kipke, M. D. (2010). In the dark: young men’s stories of sexual initiation in the absence of relevant sexual health information. Health Education & Behavior, 37(2), 243–263. doi:10.1177/1090198109339993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landis, J. R., & Koch, G. G. (1977). The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33(1), 159–174.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leigh, B. C. (1989). Reasons for having and avoiding sex: Gender, sexual orientation, and relationship to sexual behavior. Journal of Sex Research, 26(2), 199–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loewenson, P. R., Ireland, M., & Resnick, M. D. (2004). Primary and secondary sexual abstinence in high school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 34(3), 209–215.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Magee, J. C., Bigelow, L., Dehaan, S., & Mustanski, B. S. (2012). Sexual health information seeking online: A mixed-methods study among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young people. Health Education and Behavior, 39(3), 276–289. doi:10.1177/1090198111401384.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Meston, C. M., & Buss, D. M. (2007). Why humans have sex. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 36(4), 477–507.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Michels, T. M., Kropp, R. Y., Eyre, S. L., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2005). Initiating sexual experiences: How do young adolescents make decisions regarding early sexual activity? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 15(4), 583–607.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moser, D. J., Schultz, S. K., Arndt, S., Benjamin, M. L., Fleming, F. W., Brems, C. S., & Andreasen, N. C. (2002). Capacity to provide informed consent for participation in schizophrenia and HIV research. American Journal of Psychiatry, 159(7), 1201–1207.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B. (2011). Ethical and regulatory issues with conducting sexuality research with LGBT adolescents: A call to action for a scientifically informed approach. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(4), 673–686. doi:10.1007/s10508-011-9745-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B., DuBois, L. Z., Prescott, T. L., & Ybarra, M. L. (2014). A mixed-methods study of condom use and decision making among adolescent gay and bisexual males. AIDS and Behavior, 18, 1955–1969. doi:10.1007/s10461-014-0810-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B., Lyons, T., & Garcia, S. C. (2011a). Internet use and sexual health of young men who have sex with men: A mixed-methods study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 40(2), 289–300. doi:10.1007/s10508-009-9596-1.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mustanski, B., Newcomb, M. E., Du Bois, S. N., Garcia, S. C., & Grov, C. (2011b). HIV in young men who have sex with men: A review of epidemiology, risk and protective factors, and interventions. Journal of Sex Research, 48(2), 218–253. doi:10.1080/00224499.2011.558645.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donnell, B. L., O’Donnell, C. R., & Stueve, A. (2001). Early sexual initiation and subsequent sex-related risks among urban minority youth: The reach for health study. Family Planning Perspectives, 33(6), 268–275.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Dickinson, W. B., Leech, N. L., & Zoran, A. G. (2009). A qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing data in focus group research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 8(3), 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, L. F., & Meyer-Bahlburg, H. F. L. (2003). African-American and Latina Inner-City girls’ reports of romantic and sexual development. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 20(2), 221–238. doi:10.1177/02654075030202006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ott, M. A., Pfeiffer, E. J., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2006). Perceptions of sexual abstinence among high-risk early and middle adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 39(2), 192–198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ozer, E. J., Dolcini, M. M., & Harper, G. W. (2003). Adolescents’ reasons for having sex: Gender differences. Journal of Adolescent Health, 33(5), 317–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paradise, J. E., Cote, J., Minsky, S., Lourenco, A., & Howland, J. (2001). Personal values and sexual decision-making among virginal and sexually experienced urban adolescent girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28(5), 404–409.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, M. Q. (2001). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pingel, E. S., Bauermeister, J. A., Johns, M. M., Eisenberg, A., & Leslie-Santana, M. (2013). “A safe way to explore”: Reframing risk on the internet amidst young gay men’s search for identity. Journal of Adolescent Research, 28(4), 453–478. doi:10.1177/0743558412470985.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ponton, L. E., & Judice, S. (2004). Typical adolescent sexual development. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 13(3), 497–511, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2004.02.003.

  • Russell, S. T. (2005). Conceptualizing positive adolescent sexuality development. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 2(3), 4–12. doi:10.1525/srsp.2005.2.3.4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, G. W., & Bernard, H. R. (2003). Techniques to identify themes. Field Methods, 15(1), 85–109. doi:10.1177/1525822X02239569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sneed, C. D. (2009). Sexual risk behavior among early initiators of sexual intercourse. AIDS Care, 21(11), 1395–1400. doi:10.1080/09540120902893241.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L. (2008). A social neuroscience perspective on adolescent risk-taking. Developmental Review, 28(1), 78–106. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2007.08.002.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tolman, D. L., Spencer, R., Harmon, T., Rosen-Reynoso, M., & Striepe, M. (2004). Getting close, staying cool: Early adolescent boys’ experiences with romantic relationships. In N. W. J. Y. Chu (Ed.), Adolescent boys: Exploring diverse cultures of boyhood (pp. 235–255). New York: New York University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • UCSD Task Force on Decisional Capacity. (2003). Procedures for determination of decisional capacity in persons participating in research protocols. Retrieved Jan 8, 2006, from http://irb.ucsd.edu/decisional.shtml.

  • Voisin, D. R., & Bird, J. D. (2012). ‘You get more respect’: Reasons for sex among African American high school youth: A qualitative study. Journal of Social Service Research, 38(3), 392–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M. L., Bull, S. S., Prescott, T. L., & Birungi, R. (2014a). Acceptability and feasibility of CyberSenga: An Internet-based HIV-prevention program for adolescents in Mbarara, Uganda. AIDS Care, 26(4), 441–447. doi:10.1080/09540121.2013.841837.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M. L., Bull, S. S., Prescott, T. L., Korchmaros, J. D., Bangsberg, D. R., & Kiwanuka, J. P. (2013). Adolescent abstinence and unprotected sex in CyberSenga, an Internet-based HIV prevention program: Randomized clinical trial of efficacy. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e70083. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0070083.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M. L., DuBois, L. Z., Parsons, J. T., Prescott, T. L., & Mustanski, B. (2014b). Online focus groups as an HIV prevention program for gay, bisexual, and queer adolescent males. AIDS Education and Prevention, 26(6), 554–564. doi:10.1521/aeap.2014.26.6.554.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M. L., Prescott, T. L., & Holtrop, J. S. (2014c). Steps in tailoring a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for young adults. Journal of Health Communication, 19(12), 1393–1407. doi:10.1080/10810730.2014.901441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health (Award No. R01MH096660; PIs: Mustanski and Ybarra). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA

    L. Zachary DuBois

  2. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2700, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Kathryn R. Macapagal, Zenaida Rivera & Brian Mustanski

  3. Center for Innovative Public Health Research, San Clemente, CA, USA

    Tonya L. Prescott & Michele L. Ybarra

Authors
  1. L. Zachary DuBois
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kathryn R. Macapagal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zenaida Rivera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tonya L. Prescott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michele L. Ybarra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Brian Mustanski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian Mustanski.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

DuBois, L.Z., Macapagal, K.R., Rivera, Z. et al. To Have Sex or Not to Have Sex? An Online Focus Group Study of Sexual Decision Making Among Sexually Experienced and Inexperienced Gay and Bisexual Adolescent Men. Arch Sex Behav 44, 2027–2040 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0521-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0521-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation