Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

Data Presentation
Crystal McMillon
Wayne State University

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) to show the
relationships between sex of the respondents and the number of sex partners have
conducted many studies. Supporting literature suggest that there is a relationship between
the sex of respondents and the number of sex partners they have had in the past year
(NSSHB, 2010). Additionally, this study also shows the sex of the respondent in relation
with the marriage status of the respondent (NSSHB, 2010). I have decided to explore and
formulate research questions similar to these findings to help better understand these
populations using data from the General Social Surveys conducted for the National Data
Program for the Social Sciences from the University of Chicago.

Research Questions
1. Pearson r
a) Research Question: What is the relationship between the sex of respondents and
the number of sex partners in the last five years?
b) Null hypothesis: There is not a relationship between the sex of respondents and
the number of sex partners.
c) Alternative hypothesis: There is a relationship between the sex of respondents and
the number of sex partners.
2. Chi-Square
a) Research Question: What is the relationship between the sex of respondents and
was one of their recent partners a spouse or regular?
b) Null hypothesis: There is not a relationship between the sex of respondents and
whether was one of their recent partners a spouse or regular.
c) Alternative hypothesis: There is a relationship between the sex of respondents and
whether was one of their recent partners a spouse or regular.

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

3. T-Test
a) Research Question: What is the relationship between sexual orientation and the
sex frequency in past year?
b) Null hypothesis: There is not a relationship between the sexual orientation and the
sex frequency in past year.
c) Alternative hypothesis: There is a relationship between the sexual orientation and
the sex frequency in past year.
Study Rationale
The purpose of this study is to examine sexual history of respondents. The study
is guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. These questions and
hypotheses examine the frequency of sex, sexual orientation, and sexual history, in
comparison to respondents age and sex.
Descriptive Statistics

We used a total of six variables to conduct analyses based on the stated research
questions. Table 1 displays the frequencies for the two categorical variables in the
analysis, including sex of the respondents (sex) and sexual orientation (sexornt).

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

Table 1
Categorical Variables Used on Sex of The Respondents And Sexual Orientation Analyses
n (%)
Sex
Male

1569 (44.1)

Female

1990 (55.9)

sexornt
IAP

9.5

Gay, Lesbian, Homosexual

60

Bisexual

1.3

Heterosexual or straight

85.9

Dont know

.4

N/A

1.2

IAP

339

(1.7)

(9.5)

Within this data, men and women scored differently, we had more female (55.9%
%) respondents than males (44.1%). We have a higher rate of heterosexual or straight
when it comes to sexual orientation of our respondents. In addition, you will note that
there is a high percentage of respondents who in the data base who are selected yes for
their recent sexual partner being a spouse as oppose to a regular. This high percentage of
(60.8%) can be construed to be a representation of the overall population of the United
States, due to such a large sample size. In addition, the sample size was approximately
equal when surveying both male and female. Therefore, the population represented in this
analysis is relatively fair.

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics (number, mean, and standard deviation) for the
three continuous variables used in the analyses, including the age of the respondents
(age), number of sex partners in the last five years (partnrs5), and sex frequency in the
past year (sexfreq).

Table2__________________________________________________________________
_____________________
Continuous Variables Used on Sex of The Respondents, Number of Sex Partners in the
Last Five Years, And Sexual Orientation Analyses

mean

SD

partnrs5

3152

1.73

1.836

sexfreq

3035

2.67

2.007

age

3527

48.44

17.254

Bivariate Analysis
Following are the null and alternative hypotheses tor each of my research
questions, together with the results of each statistical analysis.

Research Question #1

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

I.

Is there a correlation between the age of respondents and the number of

sexual partners in the last five years?
A. Hypothesis: There is a positive correlation between the age of
respondents and the number of sexual partners in the last five years.

B. Null Hypothesis: There is no correlation between the age of respondents and the
number of sexual partners in the last five years.
The independent variable for the hypothesis is the age of the respondent (age), and
the dependent variable is the number of sex partners in the last five years (partnrs5). I
conducted a Pearson r correlation analysis to answer this research question, using the
statistical program SPSS, Version 22. I established a significance level of p</=0.05 as the
threshold for the analysis.
Correlation Findings. A Pearson correlation addressed the relationship between the
age of respondents (M= 48.88, SD= 17.254) and the number of sex partners respondents
had in the last five years (M=1.73, SD= 1.836). The correlation was found to be
significant, at an alpha level of 0.01 r (3130) = -.365, p < .001, showing that the two
variables are negatively related. Therefore, we reject the null hypothesis that there is not a
relationship between the age of respondents and the number of sex partners respondents
had in the last five years.

Research Question #2

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

II.

Is there a statistically significant relationship between the sex of respondents

and if one of recent sexual partners was a spouse or regular?
A. Hypothesis: There is a relationship between the sex of respondents and if
one of recent sexual partners was a spouse or regular?
B. Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between the sex of respondents
and if one of recent sexual partners was a spouse or regular.
The independent variable for this hypothesis is the respondents sex (sex) and the

dependent variable is rather or not recent sex partner spouse or regular (matesex). I
conduced a Chi-square analysis to answer this research question, using the statistical
program SPSS. I established a significance level of p </= 0.05 as the threshold for my
analysis.
A chi-squared test was applied to the relationship between the respondents sex
and if one of their recent sexual partners was a spouse or regular and the data was found
to be statistically significant at the alpha level of .01, X2 (1, N = 2398) = 14.845, p < .001.
Therefore, we reject the null hypothesis that there is no relationship between the
respondents sex and if one of their recent sexual partners was a spouse or regular. The
frequencies can be observed below in Table 3.

Table 3
Chi-square Analysis of the Relationship between Sex of The Respondents and Was One of
RS Partners Spouse or Regular

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

Pre-existing Disease

Respondents of
Sex

Male
Female

Total

No

Yes

Total

n (%)

n (%)

n (%)

137 (12.2)

986 (87.8)

1123 (100%)

96 (7.5)

1179 (92.5)

1275 (100%)

233 (9.7%)

2165 (90.3%)

2398 (100%)

Research Question #3
III. Is there a statistically significant difference between sexual orientation and

the

sex frequency in past year?

A. Hypothesis: There is a statistically significant difference between
respondents mean ratings of their sexual orientation and their frequency
of sex during the last year.
B. Null Hypothesis: There is no statistically significant difference between
respondents mean ratings of their sexual orientation and their frequency
of sex during the last year.
The independent variable for this hypothesis is the sexual orientation (sexornt),
and the dependent variable is the frequency of sex during last year (sexfreq). I conducted
a t-test analysis to answer this question. I established a significance level of p </= 0.05 as
the threshold for my analysis.
An independent groups t test compared the sexual orientation and the frequency
of sex during last year. Gay, lesbian, and homosexuals (M = 2.67, SD = 1.800) with
heterosexual or straight (M = 2.67, SD = 2.009). This test was found to be significant at

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

an alpha level of .05, t (2966) = -.009, p =. 992, indicating that there was a statistical
difference in the sexual orientation and the frequency of sex during last year. The 95%
confidence interval for the mean difference was -.481 to .476. Therefore, we reject the
null hypothesis that there is not a relationship between the sexual orientation and the
frequency of sex during last year.
Summary of Results
This analysis explored whether there is a relationship between the age of
respondents and the number of sex partners the respondents had in the last five years, sex
of respondents and whether ones last sexual partner was a regular or a spouse and lastly
ones sexual orientation and the frequency of sex in the past year. According to Pearson r
correlation analysis there was no relationship between the age of respondents and the
number of sex partners respondents had in the last five years. There are a myriad of
factors that may have influenced these results (religion and personal values). The chisquared test reflected that there is a statistically significant relationship between the
respondents sex and if one of their recent sex partners was a spouse or regular. These
findings could have been influenced by marital status. Lastly, we conducted a t-test
analysis to determine the relationship between ones sexual orientation and the frequency
of sex in the past year. The results were found to be statistically significant. These
statistical findings may have been influenced by the disproportionate number of the
gay/lesbian population in comparison to the heterosexual sample size.
Implications of These Findings for Social Work

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Social workers that work in community-based agencies that serve a sexually

active population would benefit from knowing the results of this study. The findings shed
light on the relationship between ones age, number of sexual partners and sexual
orientation. This is a benefit for both the client and society. The research question listed
in this study was formulated for informational purposes. For those social workers who
work within the health care setting, or who work toward providing health information and
resources to this target population may find these statistics useful. These findings may
also be beneficial for STD/HIV prevention, treatment, intervention and education. They
may also spark interest for further research. In our research questions we targeted
venerable populations such as the gay and lesbian community that could help social
workers better understand the population as a whole.

Reference

Running head: DATA PRESENTATION

Gagnon, L., & Michaels, M. (1994, January 1). The Kinsey Institute - Sexuality
Information Links. Retrieved December 8, 2014, from
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/resources/FAQ.html#homosexuality

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