Vol.:(0123456789) Sexuality & Culture https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09656-w 1 3 ORIGINAL PAPER Sexual Decision‑Making and African American Adolescent Females Candice Norris‑Brown 1  · Yvette Q. Getch 2  · Amy W. Upton 2 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract The aim of this research was to explore the factors that infuence the sexual deci- sion-making process of African American female adolescents. The phenomenologi- cal research design was grounded in black feminist theory to capture the lived expe- riences of the phenomenon. Data was collected during semi-structured interviews with twelve participants. Bracketing of researcher assumptions was used to demon- strate dependability, credibility, and coherence of the data reduction and analysis. Open coding allowed the researcher to generate a list of broad domains to create a codebook. The researcher used a recursive method of data collection and analy- sis; the codebook guided independent coding of each transcribed interview. Themes that described the factors that impact the sexual decision-making process of Afri- can American adolescent females emerged and included: (a) peer relationships; (b) media infuence; and (c) the mother–daughter relationship. Practice and research implications for school counselors and researchers regarding the factors that infu- ence the decision-making of adolescent girls of color are discussed. Keywords African American female adolescents · Sexual decision-making · School counselor · Peer relationships · Media infuence · Mother–daughter relationship This research was conducted at the University of Georgia as part of the primary author’s dissertation work. Dr. Getch served on her dissertation committee. * Amy W. Upton amyupton@southalabama.edu 1 Division of Graduate Counseling, Indiana Wesleyan University, 1900 W. 50th Street, Marion, IN 46953, USA 2 Department of Counseling and Instructional Sciences, University of South Alabama, UCOM 3800, 307 University Blvd., N., Mobile, AL 36688-0002, USA