Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Corresponding Author: Naomi M. This study examined sociocultural factors that impact dating and sexual experiences of heterosexual African American undergraduate college students attending a historically Black institution in the Southeastern United States. Power dynamics emerged as a contributing factor to the types of relationship involvement, sexual decision-making, and behavior among participants.
The importance of prevention programs focusing on situational and cultural variables is highlighted. Additionally, implications for professionals working with emerging adults to consider the impact of the gender ratio imbalance, and perceived power distributions on perceptions of dating relationships, and sexual decision making and behavior are addressed.
Marriage is often thought of as the ultimate consummation of a relationship. Marriage traditionally signifies commitment, monogamy, stability, trust, and security. Unfortunately, in the African American community, the marriage rate is low and is consistently declining McAdoo, Although there is a sufficient amount of information on the romantic and sexual relationships of college students, there is an unexplained dearth of information on these relationships among young African American men and women.
There is even less information on these relationships among African American emerging adults attending historically Black colleges and universities HBCUs. Our study focuses on two sociocultural factors affecting dating experiences of African American emerging adults attending an HBCU in the Southeast region of the United States. According to data from the U. Census Bureau , approximately Of that number, 1 million are African American men and 1. Differing reasons have been reported to explain the lower number of men as compared to women on Black college campuses.
One reason offered by Harknett is the disproportionate incarceration rates among young Black men. Another reason suggested by Jordan and Cooper is that African American males often attend high schools with a history of low academic achievement and graduation rates lessening the likelihood that they will make it to college.
