Development and Validation of the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults |
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| Authors: | Ushma D Upadhyay Phoebe Y Danza Torsten B Neilands Jessica D Gipson Claire D Brindis Michelle J Hindin Diana Greene Foster Shari L Dworkin |
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| Institution: | 1. Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, Oakland, California;2. Center of Expertise in Women’s Health, Gender, and Empowerment, University of California Global Health Institute, California;3. Independent Consultant, Los Angeles, California;4. School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California;5. Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California;6. Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California;7. Adolescent and Young Adult Health National Resource Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California;8. Reproductive Health Program, Population Council, New York, New York;9. School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell, Washington |
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| Abstract: | PurposeWe developed and validated a measure that assesses the latent construct of sexual and reproductive empowerment among adolescents and young adults. A specific measure for this group is critical because of their unique life stage and circumstances, which often includes frequent changes in sexual partners and involvement from parents in decision-making.MethodsAfter formative qualitative research, a review of the literature, and cognitive interviews, we developed 95 items representing nine dimensions of sexual and reproductive empowerment. Items were then fielded among a national sample of young people aged 15–24 years, and those who identified as sexually active completed a 3-month follow-up survey. We conducted psychometric analysis and scale validation.ResultsExploratory factor analysis on responses from 1,117 participants resulted in the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults, containing 23 items captured by seven subscales: comfort talking with partner; choice of partners, marriage, and children; parental support; sexual safety; self-love; sense of future; and sexual pleasure. Validation using logistic regression demonstrated that the subscales were consistently associated with sexual and reproductive health information and access to sexual and reproductive health services measured at baseline and moderately associated with the use of desired contraceptive methods at 3-month follow-up.ConclusionsThe Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults is a new measure that assesses young people’s empowerment regarding sexual and reproductive health. It can be used by researchers, public health practitioners, and clinicians to measure sexual and reproductive empowerment among young people. |
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| Keywords: | Sexual health Reproductive empowerment Young people Adolescents Young adults AYA Scale development Autonomy Self-efficacy Parental support Sexual safety Self-love Sense of future Sexual pleasure |
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