The relationship of self-concept and autonomy to oral contraceptive compliance among adolescent females
Neel, E.U.; Jay, S.; Litt, I.F.
Journal of Adolescent Health Care Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 6(6): 445-447
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0197-0070 PMID: 4055464 DOI: 10.1016/s0197-0070(85)80050-4Document Number: 417254
Self-concept and autonomy are typically negotiated during adolescence, a time when many females also become sexually active. Nonuse and discontinuation of contraceptives by teenagers place them at high risk for pregnancy. The present study explores the relationship between these psychological factors and contraceptive noncompliance during adolescence. 21 sexually active young women requesting contraceptives at a California university hospital's general adolescent medical clinic and 34 requesting contraceptives at a college student health service recruited through a newspaper advertisement were entered into the study. Prior to receiving their contraceptive pills, each subject completed 2 psychological tests. Despite demographic differences between groups, scores on the 2 psychological tests were not significantly different. The mean score on the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale was 61.7 for the younger clinic group and 68.4 for the older college students. Similarly, mean scores on the autonomy scale were 2.9 and 3.9, respectively. Compliance rates did, however, differ between the 2 groups, with 48% of the clinic group being compliant at 4 months, compared to 70% of the college student group. Although the total Piers-Harris score did not differentiate compliant from noncompliant subjects, the Behavior subscale of the Piers-Harris test proved to be a reliable discriminator. Similarly, results on the autonomy instrument distinguished between those who proved to be compliant and those who did not. Thus, adolescents who have a positive self-concept, as measured on the Behavior subscale of the Piers-Harris test, and a higher autonomy score appear to be more likely to be compliant with regard to oral contraceptive use.