Guyana Chronicle
May 30, 2001

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CANA) - A study undertaken by the University of the West Indies (UWI) has found that soul music and not dance hall music, influences the sexual feelings in female adolescents in Jamaica.

The findings were revealed at the 13th annual Nursing/Midwifery Research Conference and Mary Seivwright Day held recently at the University Hospital of the West Indies here.

Desmalee Nevins, Coordinator, Health Education and Health Promotion, community health and psychiatry at the UWI and Professor Brenton Bain, head of community health and psychiatry, UWI, undertook the study.

The objective of the study was to find out the relationship between musical preferences and exposure and status of sexual activity.

The study was conducted using a systematic random sample of 50 sexually active females aged 15 to 19 years, who registered for antenatal and curative care at specific health centres. They were matched for age and social class with 50 non-sexually active females.

"We discovered that soul music was more popular among both groups," said Nevins. She added that the perception in Jamaica was that dance hall music impacted negatively on values, particularly as it related to sexual practices.

However, the results of the study indicated that both groups of girls perceived dance hall as music for fun and excitement and did not link it to sexual feelings.

On the other hand, several participants said that listening to "soul music" (North American pop/dance) evoked several emotions including "sexy, loving and or wanting to get close to someone of the opposite sex."

Nevins pointed out that the study had certain limitations in that she had to rely on testimonials from the controls. However, she noted that the information gleaned from this study, "forces us to review our impressions of dance hall music and its impact."

She suggested that since dance hall music was seen as an outlet for fun and excitement, then it could perhaps be used as a way to assist in getting rid of energy in young people "that would otherwise be used in sexual activity."