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Early adolescents' sexual behaviors
C P Porter1, D L Ronis, D J Oakley
1Child/Adolescent Health Behavior Research Center, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor 48109-0482, USA. cornelia@umich.edu
Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing
|April 29, 2000
Summary
Early adolescents increased intimate behaviors and perceived sexual intercourse as more beneficial over one year. Behavioral increases, not perception changes, predicted sexual initiation, highlighting developmental learning.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Development
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Early adolescence is a critical period for developing intimate relationships and understanding sexual behavior.
- Recent research emphasizes incremental learning in adolescent psychosocial development.
- Understanding changes in intimate behaviors is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze changes in early adolescents' intimate behaviors over one year.
- To examine the initiation of sexual intercourse in relation to behavioral and perceptual changes.
- To interpret these changes within the developmental context of early adolescence.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design with two waves of data collection over one year.
- Participants included 106 public school students in sixth and ninth grades.
- Data analysis focused on changes in intimate behaviors and perceived costs/benefits of sexual intercourse.
Main Results:
- Five of eight intimate behaviors increased in frequency among participants.
- Adolescents perceived increased benefits and decreased costs associated with sexual intercourse.
- Increases in intimate behaviors, not changes in perceptions, predicted sexual intercourse initiation.
Conclusions:
- Early adolescence is characterized by incremental learning regarding intimacy and sexual relationships.
- Preventing early sexual intercourse requires understanding specific behavioral competencies for healthy intimacy development.
- Pediatric nurses are vital in providing counseling and education to adolescents, families, and communities.