An empirical investigation of pschosocial factors and sexual risk behavior in female adolescents with STIs.

INTRODUCTION Sexual risk behavior is identified as the leading cause of illness and mortality among adolescents (CDC, 2011b). The variables that have been used to define sexual risk behavior include, condom use (Shapiro, Radecki, Charchian, and Josephson, 1999; Graves and Leigh, 1995; Weinstock, Lindan, Bolan, Kegeles, and Hearts, 1993; Baldwin and Baldwin, 1988), number of sexual partners (Graves and Leigh, 1995, Weinstock, Lindan, Bolan, Kegeles, and Hearst, 1993; Aral and Holmes, 1990), age of first intercourse (McCree, Wingood, DiClemente, Davies and Harrington, 2003; Aral and Holmes,1990), participation in heterosexual or homosexual sex (Reinisch, Hill, Sanders and Ziemba-Davis, 1995), level of commitment in the relationship (Baldwin and Baldwin, 1988), and use of alcohol or drugs before sexual intercourse (Brener, McMahon, Warren and Douglas, 1999). Sexual risk behaviors affect sexual health which is defined as the complete physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being of individuals in regard to their sexual behaviors (Berkeley and Ross, 2003), by means of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive infections, infertility, sexual dysfunction, and sexual attitudes (World Health Organization, 2006). The term sexually transmitted infections (STIs) describe infections caused by more than 30 different bacteria, viruses and parasites which are transmitted through sexual intercourse. The common feature of these infections is their mode of transmission (WHO 2011a; Sasadeusz, Locarnini, Kidd, Bradford and Danta, 2008). Another term that is used in the literature is STD (sexually transmitted diseases), which refers to the disease caused by an