Concordance in Perceived Partner-Types between Sexual Partners among Adolescents

Michiyo Yamazaki, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Jonathan Ellen, Johns Hopkins University

Contraceptive and condom practices vary by partner-type (main vs. casual). Couple-level STI interventions require both partners’ participations, and may also require that both partners perceive the other as main. Objectives of this study were to examine 1) the reciprocity of adolescents’ sexual relationships, 2) the concordance in partner-types reported by females and males among reciprocally nominated dyads, and 3) odds ratios of dyad-level condom use at last sex by relationship-types reflecting concordance in perceived partner-types (main-concordant, discordant, and casual-concordant) among reciprocally nominated dyads. The relationships reported by adolescents were often not reciprocal. Perceived partner-types were largely discordant between partners. Main concordance in partner-types significantly decreased the odds of dyad-level condom use at last sex. When female adolescents perceived their partners as main compared to casual, couples were significantly less likely to report using a condom at last sex; however, there was no association between couples’ condom use and males’ perceived partner-types.