Sibling Influence on Sexual Experience

1. Sibling Influence on Sexual Experience Ashley Bane Chelsey Cabatu Ashley Devers

2. Introduction • Many factors can influence one’s decision to become sexually active (e.g. peers, family, media, religion, etc.) • Siblings influence one another in various ways • Siblings may gain values, knowledge, roles, and many skills from one another

3. Hypothesis • We expected that people with older siblings of the same gender would have greater sexual experience than people with older siblings of the opposite gender

4. Literature Review • Previous research shows that there is no significance with the effect of the gender on the older sibling on the younger siblings sexual experience (Rodgers, J.L. & Rowe, D.C. 1988). • Highly significant effects for younger versus older sibling, they found that the younger siblings were more sexually active (Rodgers, J.L. & Rowe, D.C. 1988).

5. Literature Review • It has been found that a stronger relationship with siblings can result in less sexual activity and safer sex practices (Kowal, A.K. & Blinn-Pike, L. 2004).

6. Participants • Convenience sample • 50 Hanover College students • 25 males • 25 females • Ages 18-23 • 92% Caucasian, 4% Asian, 2% African American, 2% Filipino Caucasian

7. Materials • 12-item questionnaire Please check ALL that you have experienced: [ ] kissing [ ] heavy petting (foreplay/groping) [ ] oral [ ] intercourse

8. Procedure • All participants given an informed consent • Ensured anonymity by having them place questionnaire in manila envelope • Debriefed, thanked and dismissed

9. Data Means of Older Siblings of Same and Opposite Sex on Sexual Experience _____________________________________________________________________________ Group Kissing Petting Oral Intercourse _____________________________________________________________________________ Older Siblings Same 1 .94 .82 .71 Opposite 1 .95 .84 .74 None 1 1 .83 .7 _____________________________________________________________________________

10. Findings • A 2-way ANOVA was conducted and we found no significant interaction between older-same and older-opposite with sexual intercourse, F(1,46) = .257, p = .615. • We also found no significant interaction between older-same and older-opposite with oral sex, F(1,46) = 1.185, p = .282.

11. Findings • We conducted an Independent T-test with the cases split by gender • Females who had an older-same sibling were more likely to have oral sex than females who had an older-opposite t(20) = -3.162, p = .005.

12. Discussion • Data does not support hypothesis • Peers may have a greater influence than siblings • Parental discipline and parents’ sexual attitudes • If it’s not siblings, what are some family influences on sexual activity?

13. Other Influences of Sexual Activity • Participants who have had sexual intercourse reported having discussed their sexual activity with their parents more than participants who had not had sexual intercourse, p = .001 • Those who said they had sexual intercourse reported saying that religion was less important in their lives than participants who had not had sexual intercourse p = .046 • Participants who’s biological parents are still married were more sexually active than those whose biological parents were not married, p = .012.

14. Limitations • Convenience sample • Smaller sample • Couldn’t ask all the specific questions we wanted • Socioeconomic Status • Did not specify sibling relationship (Biological, half-sibling, step-sibling)

15. Future Direction • Collect data on the amount of sexual education each participant encountered • Look at relationship between siblings and how that might effect sexual activity and safe sex practices • Format a more “in depth” questionnaire

16. QUESTIONS?