Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 35, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 345.e1-345.e15

Measuring sexual orientation in adolescent health surveys: Evaluation of eight school-based surveys (Article)

Saewyc E.M. , Bauer G.R. , Skay C.L. , Bearinger L.H. , Resnick M.D. , Reis E. , Murphy A.
  • a Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, Univ. Minnesota, Minneapolis, M., United States, McCreary Centre Society, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, Canada, Univ. Brit. Columbia Sch. of Nursing, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2B5 Canada, Canada
  • b Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, Univ. Minnesota, Minneapolis, M., United States
  • c Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, Univ. Minnesota, Minneapolis, M., United States
  • d Center for Adolescent Nursing, School of Nursing, Univ. Minnesota, Minneapolis, M., United States
  • e Ctr. for Adol. Hlth. and Development, Prevention Research Center, Med. Sch., Univ. Minnesota, M., United States
  • f Public Health, Seattle and King County, Seattle, Washington, USA, United States
  • g McCreary Centre Society, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, Canada

Abstract

To examine the performance of various items measuring sexual orientation within 8 school-based adolescent health surveys in the United States and Canada from 1986 through 1999. Analyses examined nonresponse and unsure responses to sexual orientation items compared with other survey items, demographic differences in responses, tests for response set bias, and congruence of responses to multiple orientation items; analytical methods included frequencies, contingency tables with Chi-square, and ANOVA with least significant differences (LSD)post hoc tests; all analyses were conducted separately by gender. In all surveys, nonresponse rates for orientation questions were similar to other sexual questions, but not higher; younger students, immigrants, and students with learning disabilities were more likely to skip items or select "unsure." Sexual behavior items had the lowest nonresponse, but fewer than half of all students reported sexual behavior, limiting its usefulness for indicating orientation. Item placement in the survey, wording, and response set bias all appeared to influence nonresponse and unsure rates. Specific recommendations include standardizing wording across future surveys, and pilot testing items with diverse ages and ethnic groups of teens before use. All three dimensions of orientation should be assessed where possible; when limited to single items, sexual attraction may be the best choice. Specific wording suggestions are offered for future surveys. © Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2004.

Author Keywords

Homosexuality Sexual orientation Health surveys Adolescent Bisexuality

Index Keywords

fantasy sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection methodology demography human Health Behavior sexuality suicide attempt priority journal substance abuse gender identity Human immunodeficiency virus standardization sexually transmitted disease homosexuality bisexuality sexual orientation Review learning disorder analytic method child health care Analysis of Variance
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-4644335086&doi=10.1016%2fj.jadohealth.2004.06.002&partnerID=40&md5=68fd15441316e2efd867e604a8d2fcc4
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.06.002
ISSN: 1054139X
Cited by: 157
Original Language: English