Negative Psychosocial Outcomes of Engaging in Sexual Intercourse Before the Age of 16

1. Age 13 Age 13 Ages 13-16 Ages 13-16 Age 16 Age 16 First Coitus First Coitus -.19* -.20* Target Teen Calling for Support Overall Aggression .18 .40*** Target Teen Calling for Support Overall Aggression Mary K. Higgins, Erin M. Miga & Joseph P. Allen University of Virginia Mary K. Higgins mkh4w@virginia.edu This study was made possible by funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development awarded to Joseph P. Allen, Principal Investigator (Grant#: 9R01HD058305-11A1) Copies available online at: www.teenresearch.org Introduction Measures *All measures were administered to target teens at Times 1 & 2* Early Initiation into Sexual Activity – Assessed using the 33-item Sexual Experiences Questionnaire. The item that was used asked target teens “have you ever had sexual intercourse?” Those who indicated they had engaged in intercourse between Times 1 and 2 were considered to have had an early initiation into sexual activity Alcohol and Drug Use– Adolescents reported their alcohol and drug use using the 55-item Self Perception Profile for Adolescents (α at Time 1 = .78, α at Time 2 = .88). Aggression – Also assessed using the 55-item Self Perception Profile for Adolescents. This measured overall aggression (compiled from the participants’ scores on overt and relational aggression) (α at Time 1 = .82, α at Time 2 = .67). Delinquency – The 26-item Child Behavior Checklist assesses adolescent adjustment, including engagement in delinquency. This measure was filled out about the target teen by the teen’s eighth closest friend (α at Time 1 = .71, α at Time 2 = .87). Emotional Support from Best Friend – Participants discussed a problem that they were having that they could use some advice or support about for 8 minutes. The present study uses coded ratings of the quality emotional support provided to teens from their best friends (interrater reliability at Time 1 = .88, interrater reliability at Time 2 = .83). Whether or not they asked for support was also coded (interrater reliability at Time 1 = .83, interrater reliability at Time 2 = .77). Predicting Age 16 Aggression from First Coitus • Early sexual activity has also been linked to overt aggressive acts • toward peers • - girls who are assessed as being physically aggressive tend to engage • in early sexual intercourse, as well as risky sexual behavior • (Prinstein & La Greca, 2004) • - Teens who engage in early sexual behavior often have greater physical • maturity, and this often introduces them to drugs and alcohol, as well as • sexual activity (Halpern, Waller & Spriggs, 2006) • - teenagers who typically engage in early sexual intercourse will often • use and abuse a variety of different drugs, including alcohol, • nicotine, marijuana, and other illicit drugs (Rosenbaum & Kandel, 1990) • - Having sex at early ages is also correlated with higher rates of • delinquency (Ohene, Ireland & Blum, 2005) • - Fractured relationships with parents and peers often precede first • coitus for many adolescents(McBride & Paikoff, 2003) • - Literature on the outcomes of engaging in early sexual intercourse is • rather sparse, compared to how much research has been done to assess • the predictors of age at first coitus • - much of the research that has been done yields different findings depending upon teenagers’ race, socioeconomic status, and gender Negative Psychosocial Outcomes of Engaging in Sexual Intercourse Before the Age of 16 Figure 2. Hierarchical regression paths controlling for Overall Aggression at Time 1, gender, and socioeconomic status. Note. N=124; Lower scores mean more aggression. * p ≤ .05, ** p ≤ .01, *** p ≤ .001 Table 3. Predicting Age 16 Delinquency, Drug Use, and Emotional Support from First Coitus. Hypotheses Results 1. Adolescents who experience first coitus before the age of 16 will later engage in higher levels of delinquent behavior, including drug and alcohol use, even after accounting for baseline levels. 2. Adolescents who experience first coitus before the age of 16 will later have less supportive relationships with friends, even after accounting for baseline levels. 3. Adolescents who experience first coitus before the age of 16 will later be more aggressive towards peers, even after accounting for baseline levels. Note. * p≤ .05, ** p ≤ .01, *** p ≤ .001 Predicting the Amount of Emotional Support Called for by the Target Teen at Age 16 from First Coitus Discussion • Having sex at an early age seems to exacerbate externalizing behaviors, • (including drug and alcohol use, aggression, and delinquency), and decrease • emotional support over and above previous levels of these behaviors • Engaging in early sexual behavior can leave teenagers emotionally stirred up • Pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases are also likely outcomes for teenagers who have an early sexual initiation • The potential contribution of these sexually relevant stressors could also encourage adolescents to act out in anger or fear of their uncertain future if they are faced with an unexpected child or an STD • However, a third variable could have been driving this model (such as • attachment to parents) • Having a poor relationship with parents could encourage teenagers to seek understanding and intimacy with peers, which in turn could lead to early sex, as well as steadily increasing externalizing behaviors during adolescence • This study suggests the need to look at the role of parental attachment in • outcomes of early sexual behavior Method • Participants • Longitudinal, multi-method data were obtained for 138 adolescents (76 • female, 62 male), their same-sex close friends, and their eighth closest • friends at Times 1 and 2 • -At Time 1, target teens, their close friends, and their eighth closest peers were • all an average age of 13 • -At Time 2, target teens, their close friends, and their eighth closest peers were • all an average age of 16 • -Median family income was in the $30,000-$39,999 range • -The target sample consisted of 88 Caucasian adolescents, and 50 • minority and/or mixed ethnicity adolescents Figure 1. Hierarchical regression paths controlling for Target Teen Calling for Support at Time 1, gender, and socioeconomic status. Note. N=114; Higher scores mean a greater calling for support from the teens’ close peers. * p≤ .05, ** p ≤ .01, *** p ≤ .001