Mentor
Mary Campbell
Participation year
2009
Project title

Adolescents' Attitudes Toward Sexual Relationships with Their Multiracial Peers

Abstract
A number of studies have investigated adolescent inter-racial relationships and marriage, but no research exists on adolescent sexual relationships with multiracial adolescents. This study was designed to examine the attitudes of adolescents towards having sexual relationships with their multiracial peers. The influences of race, gender, and prior sexual experiences with multiracial individuals are factors that the study seeks to investigate. This paper compares the attitudes of 110 students, recruited from summer classes and enrichment programs at the University of Iowa. A 31-item self administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The two hypotheses investigated are: (1) a) minority and white males will be more accepting than minority and white female adolescents towards having a sexual relationship with their multiracial peers and b) minority males and females will be more accepting than white males and females; (2) students who have had a prior sexual experience with a multiracial individual, when compared to those who have not, will be more willing to have sex with a multiracial peer. The results indicated that minority and white male adolescents were more accepting than minority and white female adolescents towards having a sexual relationship with a multiracial peer, minority males and females will be more accepting than white males and females towards having sexual relationships with their multiracial peers, and that students who have had a prior sexual experience with a multiracial individual, when compared to those who haven't will be more willing to have sex with a multiracial peer. Future research should further examine the social factors that influence adolescents' decision to have a sexual relationship with a multiracial peer.
Latiche  Bush-Lane
Education
Jackson State University