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Reporting on first sexual experience

Author

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  • Michelle Poulin

    (University of North Texas)

Abstract

Survey methodologists typically seek to improve data on sensitive topics by standardizing surveys and avoiding the use of human interviewers. This study uses data collected from 90 never-married young adults in rural Malawi to compare reports on first sexual encounters between a standard survey and an in-depth interview. A significant fraction of young women who claimed in the survey to have never been sexually active affirmed sexual experience during the in-depth interview, fielded shortly thereafter. Two elements of the in-depth interview, flexibility and reciprocal exchange, foster trust and more truthful reporting. The findings contradict the long-standing presumption that face-to-face interviews are inherently threatening when the topic is sex.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Poulin, 2010. "Reporting on first sexual experience," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(11), pages 237-288.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:22:y:2010:i:11
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.11
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pearson Nkhoma & Helen Charnley, 2018. "Child Protection and Social Inequality: Understanding Child Prostitution in Malawi," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-20, October.
    2. Nicole Angotti & Amy Kaler, 2013. "The more you learn the less you know? Interpretive ambiguity across three modes of qualitative data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(33), pages 951-980.
    3. TENIKUE Michel & TEQUAME Miron, 2017. "Birth order, Sex Composition and Risky Behaviour of Adolescent Girls in Nigeria," LISER Working Paper Series 2017-04, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER).
    4. Jake J. Hays & Kammi K. Schmeer, 2020. "Age at first sex and adult mental health in Nicaragua," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(44), pages 1297-1334.
    5. Nancy Luke & Shelley Clark & Eliya Zulu, 2011. "The Relationship History Calendar: Improving the Scope and Quality of Data on Youth Sexual Behavior," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(3), pages 1151-1176, August.
    6. Poulin, Michelle & Dovel, Kathryn & Watkins, Susan Cotts, 2016. "Men with Money and the “Vulnerable Women” Client Category in an AIDS Epidemic," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 16-30.
    7. Rachel Goldberg, 2013. "Family Instability and Early Initiation of Sexual Activity in Western Kenya," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(2), pages 725-750, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    HIV/AIDS; Africa; data quality; Malawi; qualitative methods; sexual behavior; adolescence; measurement error;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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