The Relationship among Negative Peer Pressure, Drinking alcohol and Early sexual engagement among secondary school students’ in Assosa Zone, West of Ethiopia

Background: Sexual and reproductive health problems are the main causes of death, psychological abnormality, disability, and disease among young people in the world particularly in Ethiopia. Adolescents represent one of the groups at highest risk for HIV infection. Objectives: Examined the relationship among negative peer pressure, drinking alcohol and early sexual engagement. Methods: This study employed correlation research design and closed – ended questionnaires for 355 randomly selected (177 females and 178 males). Results: Negative peer pressure was significantly correlated with drinking alcohol and early sexual engagement (r =-.193, p = .010) and (r = .167, p = .006) respectively. Additionally, drinking alcohol also was correlated significantly and positively with early sexual engagement (r =.151, p= .000). But, there was no statistically significant gender difference on negative peer pressure, drinking alcohol and early sexual engagement (p > 0.05). The variables, negative peer pressure and drinking alcohol jointly contributed .532 (53.2%) of the variance on early sexual engagement (p <0.05). Relative contribution of negative peer pressure and drinking alcohol on early sexual engagement is-.362 (36.2%) and-.454 (45.4%) respectively. Conclusions: as negative peer pressure increases students' drinking alcohol and early sexual engagement also increases. Similarly, when drinking alcohol increases students' early sexual engagement also increases. Both negative peer pressure and drinking alcohol were the contributing factors of early sexual engagement.