The role of self-esteem, self-control, parental support, and peer influence in sexual assertiveness among female adolescents.

Adolescent girls often face challenges in asserting their sexual rights and boundaries, particularly due to fear of losing a partner or social pressures. This study aimed to examine the influence of self-esteem, self-control, parental support, and peer support on sexual assertiveness among female adolescents in Pacar Kembang district, Surabaya, Indonesia. A cross-sectional design was used with 100 participants who completed self-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, revealing that self-esteem (β = 0.227, p = 0.014), self-control (β = 0.267, p = 0.010), parental support (β = 0.319, p = 0.000), and peer support (β = 0.133, p = 0.032) significantly predicted sexual assertiveness. These findings underscore the importance of building adolescents' self-confidence, emotional regulation, and support networks to strengthen sexual agency. Interventions that promote these factors may contribute to reducing risky or unwanted premarital sexual behaviors among young females, and similar strategies may be applicable in other low- and middle-income country settings.