Adolescent Perceived Costs and Benefits Scale for Sexual Intercourse

Abstract

The Adolescent Perceived Costs and Benefits Scale for Sexual Intercourse (APCBSSI) is a psychological instrument developed by Small, Silverberg, and Kerns (1993) to quantify the positive and negative consequences that adolescents associate with engaging in nonmarital sexual intercourse. The scale operates under the theoretical premise that adolescents function as decision makers, and understanding their subjective valuations (i.e., perceived costs and benefits) is crucial for explaining sexual initiation and activity patterns. The APCBSSI is composed of two independent subscales, each containing 10 items, which utilize a 4-point Likert-type format.

This measure contributes significantly to research on adolescent development by moving beyond purely risk-focused models to incorporate the motivational factors underlying sexual behavior. The development process included extensive interviews with a diverse sample of adolescents and subsequent pilot testing to refine the items and ensure conceptual clarity.

Keywords

Adolescent psychology, perceived costs and benefits, sexual behavior, risk assessment, decision-making, nonmarital sexual intercourse, sexual health, youth development.

Authors

Stephen A. Small, Susan B. Silverberg, Deborah Kerns

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Adolescent Perceived Costs and Benefits Scale for Sexual Intercourse is to provide researchers and practitioners with a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the cognitive calculus adolescents use when considering sexual activity. By assessing both the positive consequences (benefits) and negative consequences (costs), the scale offers a comprehensive view of the subjective utility of engaging in sexual intercourse, which is often viewed as a health-compromising behavior due to associated risks.

Specifically, the measure aims to identify the specific reasons adolescents either choose to engage in or abstain from sexual activity. This data is critical for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies that address the actual motivations and concerns held by the target population, rather than relying solely on adult perceptions of risk.

Construct

The APCBSSI measures the psychological construct of Perceived Costs and Benefits related to sexual behavior. This construct is rooted in theories of behavioral decision-making and adolescent development, which posit that behavior is a function of the perceived outcomes associated with that action. The scale is bifurcated into two distinct dimensions:

• The Perceived Costs Subscale: Assesses the negative consequences, risks, and potential drawbacks adolescents associate with engaging in sexual intercourse (e.g., pregnancy, STDs, parental disapproval, guilt).

• The Perceived Benefits Subscale: Measures the perceived positive outcomes or rewards associated with sexual activity (e.g., feeling grown up, feeling loved, peer acceptance, curiosity).

The scale’s underlying assumption is that an adolescent’s decision to become sexually active is influenced by the relative balance between these two perceived sets of consequences.

Validity

Evidence for the scale’s validity was established through correlations with actual sexual activity status and other relevant psychosocial variables. Small et al. (1993) demonstrated strong predictive validity, finding that adolescents who were not sexually active perceived significantly greater costs for engaging in sexual intercourse compared to their sexually active peers. The correlation between sexual intercourse status and perceived costs was reported as r = .32.

Furthermore, significant gender differences were observed: females generally perceived more costs (Mean = 17.30) than males (Mean = 14.80). While the correlation between sexual activity status and perceived benefits was smaller (r = .11), sexually active teens generally perceived more benefits. Interestingly, the perceived benefits scores for sexually active teens decreased after the 9th grade, suggesting that experience may lead to a reassessment of initial expectations regarding the benefits of sexual intercourse.

Additional validity data (Small, 1996) showed that the regularity of birth control use among sexually active teens was positively correlated with the perceived costs subscale (r = .24), indicating that those who perceive greater risks are more likely to use protection consistently. Supportive parental relationships were also associated with higher perceived costs for engaging in sexual activity.

Reliability

The APCBSSI demonstrates robust internal consistency and acceptable test-retest stability. Internal reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha based on a large sample of 2,444 male and female adolescents. The results indicated excellent consistency for both subscales:

• Perceived Costs Subscale: Alpha = .86

• Perceived Benefits Subscale: Alpha = .86

The test-retest reliability, measured over a two-week interval using a smaller sample of 124 adolescents, confirmed the temporal stability of the instrument:

• Perceived Costs Subscale: r = .70

• Perceived Benefits Subscale: r = .65

Factor Analysis

Although detailed statistical factor analysis results (e.g., confirmatory or exploratory factor analysis) are not explicitly provided in the core source material, the scale is conceptually structured around two independent factors: Perceived Costs and Perceived Benefits. The development methodology ensured that the 10 items composing each subscale measure these distinct, theoretically derived dimensions. The high internal reliability scores (Alpha = .86 for both) support the coherence and unidimensionality of the items within their respective factors.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire / Psychometric scale

Format: Paper-and-pencil or machine-scorable response sheet, using a 4-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English (Original development language)

Population Group: Adolescents (male and female)

Age Group: Typically mid-to-late adolescence (based on research samples, including 9th grade and older teens).

Population Details: The scale was developed using extensive interviews with a diverse sample of adolescents to ensure item relevance.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement (0 = Strongly Disagree to 3 = Strongly Agree) with 20 items distributed across two 10-item subscales. Each subscale requires approximately 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Total scores range from 0 to 30 for each subscale, with higher scores indicating higher perceived costs or benefits.

Keywords

Adolescent sexual activity, risk perception, costs and benefits, psychometric measurement, social development, sexual decision-making, Cronbach’s alpha, validity.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Stephen A. Small)

Correspondence Address: Stephen Small, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1430 Linden Drive, 201 HDFS Building, Madison, WI 53706.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1993 (Year of primary publication: Small, Silverberg, & Kerns, 1993).

Permissions and Fee: Information regarding current licensing, permissions, or fees must be obtained directly from the corresponding author, Stephen A. Small, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The items were published in the original academic article.

Reference’s

• Philipp, M. (1993). From the adolescent’s perspective: Understanding the costs and benefits of using alcohol. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Small, S. A. (1991, October). Understanding the reasons underlying adolescent sexual activity. Paper presented at the symposium, Teen Sexuality Challenge . . . Bridging the Gap between Research and Action, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

• Small, S. A. (1996). [Teen Assessment Project findings]. Unpublished data. Department of Child and Family Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

• Small, S. A., Silverberg, S. B., & Kerns, D. (1993). Adolescents’ perceptions of the costs and benefits of engaging in health-compromising behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 22, 73–87.

Items of the Adolescent Perceived Costs and Benefits Scale for Sexual Intercourse

Perceived Costs Subscale: Why Teenagers Don’t Have Sexual Intercourse

Instructions: Below are some of the reasons that teens give for NOT having sexual intercourse. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each reason. If you’re not sure, give your best guess.

1. Teenagers don’t have sex because they think it is morally wrong or against their religion.

2. Teenagers don’t have sex because they don’t want to get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or a disease like AIDS.

3. Teenagers don’t have sex because their parent(s) don’t approve.

4. Teenagers don’t have sex because they don’t feel old enough to handle it.

5. Teenagers don’t have sex because their friends won’t approve.

6. Teenagers don’t have sex because they or their partner might get pregnant.

7. Teenagers don’t have sex because they aren’t in love with anyone yet.

8. Teenagers don’t have sex because they don’t need it to make them happy.

9. Teenagers don’t have sex because they would feel guilty.

10. Teenagers don’t have sex because they or their partner might get pregnant which might mess up their future plans for college, school or a career.

Responses: 0 = Strongly Agree 1 = Agree 2 = Disagree 3 = Strongly Disagree

Perceived Benefits Subscale: Why Teenagers Have Sexual Intercourse

Instructions: Below are some of the reasons that teens give for having sexual intercourse. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each reason. If you’re not sure, give your best guess.

Teenagers have sex because it helps them forget their problems.

1. Teenagers have sex because it makes them feel grown up.

2. Teenagers have sex because they want to get pregnant or become a parent.

3. Teenagers have sex as a way to get or keep a boyfriend or girlfriend.

4. Teenagers have sex because it makes them feel good.

5. Teenagers have sex because it makes them feel loved.

6. Teenagers have sex because they want to fit in with their friends.

7. Teenagers have sex because they want to see what it’s like.

8. Teenagers have sex because it makes them feel more confident and sure of themselves.

9. Teenagers have sex because people they admire or look up to make it seem like a “cool” thing to do.

Responses: 0 = Strongly Agree 1 = Agree 2 = Disagree 3 = Strongly Disagree