Sexual Behaviors of Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining the Immigrant Paradox

The current study examined the immigrant paradox regarding risky sexual behaviors of Hispanic emerging adults from a social learning perspective, theorizing that the immigrant paradox could partially be explained by the sexual lyrical content contained in music. Participants included 173 Hispanic emerging adults from South America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, and Mexico. The current study examined sexual lyrical content along with gender, generational status, family structure, economic hardship, and religiosity. Participant gender was associated with age at first date, with male participants engaging in unsupervised dating activities earlier than female participants, and number of dating partners, with female participants reporting more dating partners than male participants. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that sexual lyrical content in music could partially explain the immigrant paradox regarding risky sexual behaviors of Hispanic emerging adults.