Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study
Preliminary Findings
When we first met you in 2001, you were between the ages of 12 and 19. Now you are between the ages of 17 and 24. After compiling everyone's answers, we saw that a lot has been going on in your lives! Here are a few things we thought you might find interesting:
Living situation
- 18% of the teens interviewed have at one time lived with someone of the opposite sex (not as a roommate) without being married
- 8% currently live with someone of the opposite sex (not as a roommate) without being married
- 1% are married
- 9% either have children or have had at least one live birth
Employment
- The average weekly salary of the teens interviewed is $220 (up from $84 in 2001)
Sexual identity
- 91% of the teens interviewed report being heterosexual, while 8% report being bi-sexual, and 1% report being homosexual
Sex
- Teens consistently report fear of pregnancy, parental disapproval, and STDs as the top reasons for not having sex
- 68% of teens interviewed have had sex
- The average age at which teens first had sex is 16.9 years, while the average age at which their parents first had sex was 17.3 years
- Of those who have had sex:
- The average number of sex partners is 5.7
- 16% report having 10 or more sex partners
- Approximately 20% of those who have dated within the past two years have cheated sexually on their current or most recent partner
- 58% have had sex with a person they are not actually dating, such as a friend, a former boyfriend or girlfriend, or someone they just met. 26% of those who have done this used no birth control with that person
Birth control
Of those who have dated in the past two years:
- Approximately 7% of those who had sex never used any kind of birth control with their current or most recent partner
- Of those who used birth control with their current or most recent partner, approximately 6% have never used a condom
- Condom use
- 16% of those who have used condoms in the past with their current or most recent partner are not currently using a condom with their partner
- Only 35% of those who have used condoms with their current or most recent partner use them every time with that partner
- Of those who don't always use a condom every time with their current or most recent partner, 78% agreed that it was because they trust that their partner doesn't have any sexually transmitted disease, 64% because they trust and love their partner, and 63% because they are using another form of birth control
- 42% of the teens interviewed rated their spiritual life as important
- 25% pray daily, while 19% never pray
- 21% attend religious services at least once a week, while 33% never attend religious services
- 71% of teens interviewed feel it is okay for an unmarried couple to live together
- 32% feel it is important to have a boy/girlfriend
- 67% feel it is important to have their parents' approval
Future expectations
- 44% of the teens interviewed expect to graduate from a four-year college
- 6% expect to drop out of high school
- 77% of those who are not currently married feel it is important to marry some day
- 43% of those who are not currently living with someone feel it is likely they will live with someone before they get married
MyBGSU
Email
Search
Directory
Academics
Admissions
The Arts
Athletics
Library
A to Z Links
Bowling Green State University