We investigate the immediate social context of contraceptive behaviors: specifically, the intimate relationship. We use the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life (RDSL) study (2008–2012), based on a random sample of 1,003 women ages 18–19 residing in a Michigan county. Women were interviewed weekly for 2.5 years, resulting in an age range of 18–22. We test three sets of hypotheses about change over time within a relationship, using relationship-level within-between models, which compare a couple’s contraceptive behaviors across different times in the relationship. First, we find that a couple is less likely to use contraception when the relationship is more intimate and/or committed and that a couple becomes less likely to use contraception over time, regardless of intimacy and commitment. Second, we find that a couple using contraception becomes increasingly likely to choose hormonal over coital methods, but this change occurs as a relationship endures and is unrelated to intimacy and/or commitment. Third, we find that a condom-using couple’s consistency does not decline when there is conflict; rather, consistency of condom use declines over time regardless of the relationship’s characteristics. We also demonstrate that conflict and power imbalance increase reliance on hormonal methods among those using contraception; conflict decreases consistency among withdrawal (but not condom) users; and nonmonogamy increases reliance on condoms and decreases withdrawal consistency. The strong and consistent link between duration and contraceptive behaviors—regardless of intimacy, commitment, conflict, or power imbalance—suggests that the continual vigilance required for long-term contraceptive use is difficult during early emerging adulthood.

中文翻译：

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成年初期亲密关系的动态和避孕药具的使用。


我们调查避孕行为的直接社会背景：特别是亲密关系。我们使用关系动态和社会生活 (RDSL) 研究（2008-2012），该研究基于居住在密歇根县的 1,003 名 18-19 岁女性的随机样本。 2.5 年来，每周都会对女性进行访谈，年龄范围为 18-22 岁。我们使用关系级别内部模型测试了三组关于关系中随时间变化的假设，该模型比较了夫妻在关系中不同时期的避孕行为。首先，我们发现，当关系更加亲密和/或忠诚时，夫妇不太可能使用避孕措施，并且随着时间的推移，无论亲密程度和承诺如何，夫妇都不太可能使用避孕措施。其次，我们发现使用避孕措施的夫妇越来越有可能选择激素而不是性交方法，但这种变化发生在关系持续且与亲密和/或承诺无关的情况下。第三，我们发现，当发生冲突时，夫妻使用安全套的一致性并没有下降；相反，无论关系的特点如何，安全套使用的一致性都会随着时间的推移而下降。我们还证明，冲突和权力失衡会增加使用避孕方法的人对激素方法的依赖；冲突会降低戒断（但不是安全套）使用者之间的一致性；非一夫一妻制增加了对安全套的依赖并降低了戒断的一致性。持续时间和避孕行为之间紧密且一致的联系——无论亲密、承诺、冲突或权力不平衡——表明，在成年早期，长期使用避孕药具所需的持续警惕是困难的。