Abstract
This study explored factors that may be associated with early initiation of sexual activity among adolescents. Using the cumulative risk model, we hypothesized that as exposure to risk factors increases, so does the likelihood of early sexual debut. A sample of 273 (53% girls, 90% European American) adolescents was followed longitudinally from age 13 to 15. The results indicate that, for girls, increased television viewing, low self-esteem, poor parental relationships, living in a non-intact household, higher levels of externalizing behavior (ADHD symptomology), low academic achievement, and parents with low education levels were associated with earlier sexual debut. For boys, advanced pubertal development, increased television viewing, higher rates of externalizing behaviors (ADHD and ODD symptoms), and poor parental relationships were associated with earlier sexual debut. As hypothesized, predictive power increases with the accumulation of these risks; girls are 1.56 times more likely to become sexually active with an increase of only one risk and boys are 1.90 times more likely.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. A. (2001). Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, & Families.
Armour, S., & Haynie, D. L. (2007). Adolescent sexual debut and later delinquency. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 141–152. doi:10.1007/s10964-006-9128-4.
Brewster, K. L. (1994). Race differences in sexual activity among adolescent women: The role of neighborhood characteristics. American Sociological Review, 59, 408–424. doi:10.2307/2095941.
Brewster, K. L., & Tillman, K. H. (2007). Who’s doing it? Patterns and predictors of youths’ oral sexual experiences. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 42, 73–80. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.010.
Brown, J. D. (2006). Media literacy has potential to improve adolescents’ health. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 39, 459–460. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.07.014.
Brown, J. D., Engle, K. L., Pardun, L. J., Guo, G., Kenneavy, K., & Jackson, C. J. (2006). Sexy media matters: Exposure to sexual content in movies, music, television, and magazines predicts black and white adolescents’ sexual behavior. Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics, 117, 1018–1027.
Bryan, A., & Stallings, M. C. (2002). A case control study of adolescent risky sexual behavior and its relationship to personality dimensions, conduct disorder, and substance use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 31, 387–396. doi:10.1023/A:1015632709461.
Cavanagh, S. (2004). The sexual debut of girls in early adolescence: The intersection of race, pubertal timing, and friendship group characteristics. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 14, 285–312. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2004.00076.x.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC). (2006). Youth behavior surveillance-United States, 2005. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 55, 1–108.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Youth risk behavior survey. Available at: www.cdc.gov/yrbss. Accessed on August 21, 2008.
Cornell, J. L., & Halpern-Felsher, B. L. (2006). Adolescents tell us why teens have oral sex. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 299–301. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.04.015.
Day, R. (1992). The transition to first intercourse among racially and culturally diverse youth. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 749–762. doi:10.2307/353158.
Eisenberg, M. E., Sieving, R. E., Bearinger, L. H., Swain, C., & Resnick, M. D. (2006). Parents’ communication with adolescents about sexual behavior: A missed opportunity for prevention? Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 893–902. doi:10.1007/s10964-006-9093-y.
Flory, K., Molina, B. S. G., Pelman, W. E., Jr., Gnagy, E., & Smith, B. (2006). Childhood ADHD predicts risky sexual behaviors in young adults. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 35, 571–577. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp3504_8.
Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1985). Children’s perceptions of the personal relationships in their social networks. Developmental Psychology, 21, 1016–1024. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.21.6.1016.
Gavin, L., & Furman, W. (1996). Adolescent girls’ relationships with mothers and best friends. Child Development, 67, 375–386. doi:10.2307/1131820.
Gerard, J. M., & Buehler, C. (2004). Cumulative environmental risk and youth problem behavior. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 702–720.
Halpern-Felsher, B. L., Cornell, J. L., Kropp, R. Y., & Tschann, J. M. (2005). Oral versus vaginal sex among adolescents: Perceptions, attitudes, and behavior. Pediatrics, 15, 845–851. doi:10.1542/peds.2004-2108.
Hyde, J. S., Klein, M. H., Essex, M. J., & Clark, R. (1995). Maternity leave and women's mental health. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 257–285.
Kovacs, M. (1985). The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 21, 995–998.
Laflin, M. T., Wang, J., & Berry, M. (2008). A longitudinal study of adolescent transition from virgin to nonvirgin status. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 42, 228–236. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.014.
Langille, D. B., & Curtis, L. (2002). Factors associated with sexual intercourse before age 15 among female adolescents in Nova Scotia. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 11, 91–99.
Lehrer, J. A., Shrier, L. A., Gortmaker, S., & Buka, S. (2006). Depressive symptoms as a longitudinal predictor of sexual risk behaviors among US middle and high school students. Pediatrics, 118, 189–200. doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1320.
Longmore, M. A., Manning, W. D., Giordano, P. C., & Rudolph, J. L. (2004). Self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and adolescents’ sexual onset. Social Psychology Quarterly, 67, 279–295.
Manning, W. D., Longmore, M. A., & Giordano, P. C. (2005). Adolescents’ involvement in non-romantic sexual activity. Social Science Research, 34, 384–407. doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2004.03.001.
McBride, C. K., Paikoff, R. L., & Holmbeck, G. N. (2003). Individual and familial influences on the onset of sexual intercourse among urban African American adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71, 159–167. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.71.1.159.
McCarthy, B. W., & Bodnar, E. (2005). The equity model of sexuality: Navigating and negotiating the similarities and differences between men and women in sexual behavior, role, and values. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 20, 225–235. doi:10.1080/14681990500113229.
Miller, K. E., Sabo, D. F., Farrell, M. P., Barnes, G. M., & Melnick, M. J. (1998). Athletic participation and sexual behavior in adolescents: The different worlds of boys and girls. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 39, 108–123. doi:10.2307/2676394.
Mitchell, C. M., Whitesell, N. R., Spicer, P., Beals, J., Kaufman, C. E., & The Pathways of Choice, Health Ways Project Team. (2007). Cumulative risk for early sexual initiation among American Indian youth: A discrete-time survival analysis. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17, 387–412. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00527.x.
Perkins, D. F., Luster, T., & Villarruel, F. A. (1998). An ecological, risk-factor examination of adolescents’ sexual activity in three ethnic groups. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 660–673. doi:10.2307/353536.
Roberts, R. E., Roberts, C. R., & Chen, I. G. (2000). Fatalism and risk of adolescent depression. Psychiatry, 63, 239–252.
Romer, D., Hornik, R., & Stanton, B. (1997). “Talking computers”: A reliable and private method to conduct interviews on sensitive topics with children. Journal of Sex Research, 34, 3–9.
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Schooler, D., Kim, J. L., & Sorsoli, L. (2006). Setting rules and sitting down: Parental mediation of television consumption and adolescent self-esteem, body image, and sexuality. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 3, 49–62. doi:10.1525/srsp.2006.3.4.49.
Small, S. A., & Luster, T. (1994). Adolescent sexual activity: an ecological risk-factor approach. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 181–192. doi:10.2307/352712.
Smith, C. (1997). Factors associated with early sexual activity among urban adolescents. Social Work, 42, 334–346.
Stone, K. M. (1994). HIV, other STDs, and barriers. In C. Mauck, et al. (Eds.), Barrier contraceptives (pp. 203–212). New York: Wiley.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1996). Using multivariate statistics. New York: Harper Collins.
Tanner, J. M. (1962). Growth at adolescence. Oxford: Blackwell.
Thornton, A., & Camburn, D. (1987). The influence of the family on premarital sexual attitudes and behavior. Demography, 24, 323–340. doi:10.2307/2061301.
U.S. Department of Labor. (1993). 20 facts on women workers. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Ward, L. M., & Friedman, K. (2006). Using TV as a guide: Associations between television viewing and adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behavior. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 16, 133–156. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2006.00125.x.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by funding from the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Price, M.N., Hyde, J.S. When Two Isn’t Better Than One: Predictors of Early Sexual Activity in Adolescence Using a Cumulative Risk Model. J Youth Adolescence 38, 1059–1071 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9351-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-008-9351-2