Premarital sexual permissiveness and contraceptive knowledge: A biracial comparison of college students

The relationship between college students' knowledge of contraceptive devices and techniques and their attitudes toward premarital sexual permissiveness was investigated. This study examined selected background variables of the respondents to determine possible effects on the relationship. The sample was composed of 392 students enrolled in a college and a university in Virginia. A questionnaire was developed which included a premarital sexual permissiveness scale, an instrument measuring knowledge of contraceptive devices and techniques devised by the investigators, and items gathering information on background variables. A positive relationship was found to exist between knowledge of contraceptive devices and techniques and premarital sexual permissiveness. As permissiveness scores increased, knowledge scores tended to follow a similar trend. Sex and race of the respondent influenced this relationship. Males were found to be more permissive but less knowledgeable than females. Whites tended to be more knowledgeable about contraception than blacks, but both groups were about equally permissive.