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Learning Objective #1: describe adolescents' use of social comparison when making decisions about effective birth control use.

Learning Objective #2: describe adolescents' use of social comparison when making decisions about sexual activity.

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Objective:  The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether adolescents’ social comparisons to others vary with stage of change for effective contraceptive use and abstinence.  Methods:  355 9th and 10th graders from a public high school [M age=15; 50% female; 72% Hispanic white; 51% sexually active] completed self-administered, anonymous questionnaires assessing social comparisons, past sexual behavior and behavioral intentions.  Social comparisons were measured using the Social Comparison Uses Scale (SCUS), designed to assess adolescents’ motives for comparing themselves with others when they think about pregnancy.  Parents were notified about the study; written parental consent was waived.  Results:  Sexually active participants were categorized into four stages of change for taking action to use effective birth control methods: precontemplation, contemplation/preparation, action, and maintenance.  ANOVA demonstrated significant differences in social comparison use between the stages of change [F(2, 135)=2.701, p=0.48].  Eta squared, a measure of effect size, was .06 (medium).  Participants in the action stage used significantly more social comparison (M=3.51 on a 5-point scale) than those in the precontemplation stage for effective birth control use (M=2.94).  Similar patterns were observed on the means plots for all subscales, with the lowest uses of all types of social comparisons in the precontemplation stage, peak uses in the action stage, and less uses in the maintenance stage.  Non-sexually active participants were categorized into three stages of change for initiation of sexual activity:  precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation.  ANOVA demonstrated no significant differences.  However, means plots demonstrated less social comparison among those in the preparation stage for initiating sexual activity—less overall comparison, distancing, self-enhancement, modeling, future-self comparisons. Conclusions:  Social comparisons were used the most by those who had recently implemented newly preventive behavior (effective birth control use).  They were used the least by those who are initiating risky behavior (sexual activity). [Funded by NIH/NINR, NR05054-01A2]