Risk Sexual Behaviors in Uruguayan Adolescents: the Role of Self-Regulation and Sex-Gender

Abstract

During adolescence, there is an increase in romantic and sexual exploration that is part of humans’ healthy development. However, in some circumstances, sexual behavior is associated with risky behaviors. Dual systems models of cognitive development posit that adolescents’ risk behaviors are the result of a developmental imbalance between the socioemotional and the cognitive control systems. In this research we focus on the cognitive control system through the study of the association between self-regulation and risk sexual behaviors, and the modulation of sex-gender and socioeconomical status. A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of sexually active adolescents (Mage = 17.292, SD = 1.498), from Montevideo (Uruguay). Participants completed the Tower of London Task and the sociodemographic and sexual behavior questionnaires. We found an association between self-regulation and the probability of having had sex before age 15, the number of sexual partners and the inconsistency in the use of contraceptive methods (CM). Moreover, interactions between self-regulation and sex-gender were observed for the number of sexual partners and for the inconsistency in the use of CM. Our results contribute to understand the association between cognitive factors and risk sexual behaviors during adolescence in a socioeconomically diverse sample from a Latin American country.