COLLEGE-AGED LATINAS FERTILITY INTENT IN RELATION TO ACADEMIC AND FAMILY SELF-WORTH AND VALUING EDUCATION

Fertility intent is an important predictor of reproductive outcomes and research in this area is moving towards examining larger structural influences in peoples family planning decisions. Using a sample of 428 mostly Hispanic Latina women at a Hispanic Serving Institution (84% Hispanic) on the US Mexico border, we measured associations between desired number of children, the importance of not getting pregnant, and timing of intercourse with two education psychosocial scales. Academic self worth was associated with fewer desired number of children, placing importance on pregnancy avoidance, and being less likely to have intercourse before the age of 18. Perceived greater educational costs and higher family related self worth were associated with fewer sexual partners. Higher intrinsic value of college was associated with more lifetime sexual partners. Our findings add considerations of academic self worth to the fertility intent and education bodies of research with the inclusion of theory that moves beyond rational choice assumptions. Our findings also counter simplistic cultural explanations for Hispanic Latina sexual behavior and stereotypical tropes through indicating that Hispanic Latina students perceive themselves as both academically oriented and sexually responsible.