Early Adolescent Sexual Initiation as a Problem Behavior: A Comparative Study of Five Nations

Abstract

Purpose Using a Problem Behavior Theory (PBT) framework, this paper examines the extent to which psychosocial correlates of early sexual initiation (before age 16) vary across developed nations. Methods Fifteen-year-old participants (n=5,624) in the 1997-1998 WHO collaborative Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey (Finland, Scotland, France and Poland) and the 1996 US Add Health survey self-reported substance use (alcohol and tobacco), school attachment, positive parental communication, and early sexual intercourse experience. Stratifying by gender, we performed univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analyses controlling for family socioeconomic status, family structure, and nation fixed effects. Results Self-reported early sexual experience, substance use, school attachment and positive communication with parents varied significantly across nations for both boys and girls. In both crude and adjusted analyses, substance use was positively associated with early sexual experience among boys and girls across nations, although associations were stronger in Europe than the US (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] range 1.56-3.74). School attachment was similarly inversely related to early sexual experience among boys and girls across nations (AOR range 0.63-0.94). However, positive parent communication was significantly inversely related to early sexual experience only among US females (AOR 0.50). Conclusions Findings overall supported the fit of early adolescent sexual initiation as a risk behavior within a PBT framework cross-nationally, suggesting that similar factors could be targeted to prevent early sexual initiation across some developed nations. However further research is warranted examining the temporality of these relationships.

Individual Differences in Reproductive Strategy are Related to Views about Recreational Drug Use in Belgium, The Netherlands, and Japan

“…Individuals are more likely to have risky, promiscuous or short term sexual encounters when under the influence of recreational party drugs. This has been found in American (Lammers, Ireland, Resnick, & Blum, 2000;Weeden & Sabini, 2007) as well as European (Madkour, Farhat, Halpern, Godeau, & Gabhainn, 2010) and Japanese study groups (Nemoto, Iwamoto, Morris, Yokota, & Wada, 2007;Nagata-Kobayashi, Maeno, Yoshizu, & Shimbo, 2009;Takakura, Nagayama, Sakihara, & Willcox, 2001). If individuals perceive recreational drug use as conducive to sexual encounters, attitudes towards sexuality are therefore likely to track views towards recreational drug use.…”

The Relationships between Sexual Intercourse and Health Risk Behaviors in Korean and US Adolescents

“…For US adolescents, smoking was the only predictor of higher sexual inter-course rates. Previous studies also reported significant relationships between sexual intercourse and drug use [10,11] and smoking [12,13]. According to the problem behavior theory proposed by Jessor [6], health risk behaviors such as adolescent smoking, drinking and drug use appear together, in a complex rather than individual manner, and these risk-taking behaviors are highly interrelated [6].…”

Gender differentials in sexual initiation among adolescents in Zambia

“…Studies have repeatedly shown that early sexual intercourse is associated with increased risk for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies (Rosenthal et al, 2001;Madkour, 2010). In Zambia, STIs including HIV pose a huge public health and developmental challenge among adolescent and young people.…”