Youth’s Socio-Sexual Competences With Romantic and Casual Sexual Partners

We investigated youth’s self-reported socio-sexual competences (esteem, assertiveness, control, communication) within their most recent sexual partnerships, and explored disparities in these competences between romantic versus casual sexual partnerships, including age and gender differences therein. Data were used from 6,098 Dutch adolescents and young adults (12.1–26.1 years), who participated in a national study on sexual health. Results indicated that being in love and sexual activity frequency were significant confound

Road Blocks or Building Blocks?:A Qualitative Study on Challenges and Resilience in Romantic Relationships of Youth Exposed to Family Violence

Romantic relationships are an important part of many people’s lives and at least partly shaped by experiences during childhood. Youth exposed to family violence during childhood are more likely to experience difficulties in their later romantic relationships. However, a more holistic perspective on the romantic relationships of youth with a history of family violence is lacking. Using both theoretical and inductive thematic analysis, this qualitative study explored challenges as well as positive experiences within romantic relationships of youth exposed to family violence during childhood. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 18 youth aged between 16 and 20 years, who were reported to child protection services. The narratives reflected that youth experienced challenges related to support, connection, trust, boundary setting, emotion regulation and conflict resolution. Furthermore, family violence during childhood seemed to be important in the emergence of these challenges, consistent with theoretical mechanisms described in observational learning theory and attachment theory. However, youth also described positive experiences in their romantic relationships and demonstrated an ability to learn from others (e.g., their current romantic partner) how to communicate effectively or solve problems. Therefore, with the right social or professional support, at-risk youth may be able to overcome these challenges.</p

Road Blocks or Building Blocks?:A Qualitative Study on Challenges and Resilience in Romantic Relationships of Youth Exposed to Family Violence

Romantic relationships are an important part of many people’s lives and at least partly shaped by experiences during childhood. Youth exposed to family violence during childhood are more likely to experience difficulties in their later romantic relationships. However, a more holistic perspective on the romantic relationships of youth with a history of family violence is lacking. Using both theoretical and inductive thematic analysis, this qualitative study explored challenges as well as positive experiences within romantic relationships of youth exposed to family violence during childhood. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 18 youth aged between 16 and 20 years, who were reported to child protection services. The narratives reflected that youth experienced challenges related to support, connection, trust, boundary setting, emotion regulation and conflict resolution. Furthermore, family violence during childhood seemed to be important in the emergence of these challenges, consistent with theoretical mechanisms described in observational learning theory and attachment theory. However, youth also described positive experiences in their romantic relationships and demonstrated an ability to learn from others (e.g., their current romantic partner) how to communicate effectively or solve problems. Therefore, with the right social or professional support, at-risk youth may be able to overcome these challenges.</p

New Interview Method for Sketching the Dynamic Relational and Sexual History of Young Adults

Introduction: Scientific literature and clinical practice still pay insufficient attention to the interconnectedness between love and sex. Especially youth would benefit in their sexual development from more attention (e.g., in parenting, education, sexual health services) for the complex relational context of sexual decisions and interactions. Methods: To gain more insight into young people’s dynamically intertwined early experiences with romantic relationships and sexuality, a new semi-structured i

Early sexual intercourse: Prospective associations with adolescents physical activity and screen time

Objectives: To assess the prospective associations of physical activity behaviors and screen time with early sexual intercourse initiation (i.e., before 15 years) in a large sample of adolescents. Methods: We used two waves of data from the Rotterdam Youth Monitor, a longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands. The analysis sample consisted of 2,141 adolescents aged 12 to 14 years (mean age at baseline = 12.2 years, SD = 0.43). Physical activity (e.g., sports outside school), screen time (e.g., computer use), and early sexual intercourse initiation were assessed by means of self-report questionnaires. Logistic regression models were tested to assess the associations of physical activity behaviors and screen time (separately and simultaneously) with early sexual intercourse initiation, controlling for confounders (i.e., socio-demographics and substance use). Interaction effects with gender were tested to assess whether these associations differed significantly between boys and girls. Results: The only physical activity behavior that was a significant predictor of early sexual intercourse initiation was sports club membership. Adolescent boys and girls who were members of a sports club) were more likely to have had early sex (OR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.33, 3.56. Significant gender interaction effects indicated that boys who watched TV ≥2 hours/ day (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.08, 3.68) and girls who used the computer ≥2 hours/day (OR = 3.92; 95% CI = 1.76, 8.69) were also significantly more likely to have engaged in early sex. Conclusion: These findings have implications for professionals in general pediatric healthcare, sexual health educators, policy makers, and parents, who should be aware of these possible prospective links between sports club membership, TV watching (for boys), and computer use (for girls), and early sexual intercourse initiation. However, continued research on determinants of adolescents' early sexual initiation is needed to further contribute to the strategies for improving adolescents' healthy sexual development and behaviors

Evaluating the psychometric properties of the mental health continuum-short form (MHC-SF) in Dutch adolescents

BACKGROUND: Mental health is increasingly viewed as the presence of various aspects of well-being rather than just the absence of mental illness. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is a 14-item instrument that assesses mental health, focusing on emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The present study examined for the first time the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the MHC-SF among adolescents, focusing on its factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, and gender and age factorial invariance. METHODS: Data were collected from a school-based sample of 1175 adolescents (53.4% girls) aged 11-17 years (M = 13.7; SD = 1.1). Participants completed an online questionnaire in the classroom during regular school hours. Statistical analyses to evaluate the factor structure, internal consistency, construct validity, and gender and age factorial invariance were performed in SPSS and R. RESULTS: Using confirmatory factor analyses, a satisfactory-to-good fit was obtained for the three-factor model (emotional, psychological, and social well-being). The MHC-SF scores showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .91) and results supported convergent and divergent validity. Finally, the MHC-SF showed gender and age factorial invariance. CONCLUSION: The current psychometric evaluation indicates the MHC-SF is a reliable and valid instrument to assess multiple dimensions of well-being among Dutch adolescents. The instrument can be applied for research purposes and in clinical practice

Longitudinal Associations Between Sexual Communication With Friends and Sexual Behaviors Through Perceived Sexual Peer Norms

The role of peers in adolescents’ sexual behaviors is not yet fully understood. We investigated the association between sexual communication with friends (at T1) and subsequent changes in adolescents’ experience with sexual behaviors (between T1–T3), and examined whether this association was explained by adolescents’ perceptions of three sexual peer norms (at T2): (1) peers’ se

Connecting the sustainable development goals by their energy inter-linkages

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide guide-posts to society as it attempts to respond to an array of pressing challenges. One of these challenges is energy; thus, the SDGs have become paramount for energy policy-making. Yet, while governments throughout the world have already declared the SDGs to be 'integrated and indivisible', there are still knowledge gaps surrounding how the interactions between the energy SDG targets and those of the non-energy-focused SDGs might play out in different contexts. In this review, we report on a large-scale assessment of the relevant energy literature, which we conducted to better our understanding of key energy-related interactions between SDGs, as well as their context-dependencies (relating to time, geography, governance, technology, and directionality). By (i) evaluating the nature and strength of the interactions identified, (ii) indicating the robustness of the evidence base, the agreement of that evidence, and our confidence in it, and (iii) highlighting critical areas where better understanding is needed or context dependencies should be considered, our review points to potential ways forward for both the policy making and scientific communities. First, we find that positive interactions between the SDGs outweigh the negative ones, both in number and magnitude. Second, of relevance for the scientific community, in order to fill knowledge gaps in critical areas, there is an urgent need for interdisciplinary research geared toward developing new data, scientific tools, and fresh perspectives. Third, of relevance for policy-making, wider efforts to promote policy coherence and integrated assessments are required to address potential policy spillovers across sectors, sustainability domains, and geographic and temporal boundaries. The task of conducting comprehensive science-to-policy assessments covering all SDGs, such as for the UN's Global Sustainable Development Report, remains manageable pending the availability of systematic reviews focusing on a limited number of SDG dimensions in each case

Intra- and Inter-Individual Differences in Adolescent Depressive Mood: the Role of Relationships with Parents and Friends

Abstract: Utilizing four waves of data from 1126 secondary school Dutch adolescents (Mage = 13.95 at the first wave; 53% boys), the current study examined the interplay between parent-adolescent and friend-adolescent relationship quality (satisfaction and conflict) in relation to adolescents’ depressive mood. Using multilevel analyses, the interacting effects of parent/friend relationship quality on depressive mood were tested at both the intra- and inter-individual level. Analyses at the intra-individual level investigated whether individual depressive mood fluctuated along with changes in their social relationships regardless of one’s general level of depressive mood; and analyses at the inter-individual level examined whether the average differences in depressive mood between adolescents were associated with different qualities of social relationships. We interpreted the patterns of interactions between parent and friend relationships using four theoretical models: the reinforcement, toxic friends, compensation, and additive model. The results demonstrate the covariation of parent- and friend- relationship quality with adolescents’ depressive mood, and highlight that parent and peer effects are not independent from each other—affirming the compensation and additive models at the intra-individual and the reinforcement and additive models at the inter-individual level. The findings highlight the robustness of the protective effects of parent and peer support and the deleterious effects of conflictual relationships for adolescent mental health. The results have implications for both the theoretical and practical design of (preventive) interventions aimed at decreasing adolescents’ depressive mood

Developing adolescent sexuality in context: Relations with parents and peers

In this dissertation it was investigated how various aspects of adolescents’ developing sexuality (behaviors, cognitions, emotions) are intertwined over time with adolescents’ relations with parents and peers. The overall goal of the six empirical studies, which utilized a multi-method approach (longitudinal questionnaire, observation, and meta-analytic data), was to investigate adolescents’ sexual development with 1.) a broad conceptualization of adolescent sexuality, 2.) specific attention for socio-contextual factors (parents and peers), and 3.) a longitudinal research design. The results of this dissertation showed that, when assessing various biopsychosocial factors simultaneously, the timing of adolescents’ sexual debut was related most strongly to their relations with peers. More frequent interaction with peers was associated with a higher likelihood of early sexual initiation (before the age of 16) for boys and girls. Experienced peer pressure to have sex was an additional risk factor for an early sexual debut for girls. Furthermore, both general and sexuality-specific aspects of adolescents’ relations with parents were related over time to developing adolescent sexuality. General parenting, in the form of a high-quality relationship with parents, had both direct (unidirectional) and indirect (through global self-esteem) protective effects on various aspects of adolescent sexuality, such as their intention to have sex, their actual sexual behavior, and their experienced sexual emotions. Sexuality-specific parenting, in the form of communication about sex and parental attitudes toward having sex, was more dynamically (bidirectionally) intertwined with adolescents’ increasing sexual experience. Besides the link between more frequent peer interactions and early sexual initiation, adolescents who perceived their peers as (a) more sexually active (descriptive norms), (b) more approving of having sex (injunctive norms), and (c) exerting more pressure on them to be sexually active (peer pressure) tended to be more sexually active themselves. Adolescents who believed that their friends approved more of having sex also reported more intention to have sex, and adolescents who believed that their peers engaged in more risky sexual behavior (descriptive risk norms) were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior themselves. Adolescents’ perceptions of descriptive and injunctive sexual peer norms were related to the amount of normative and deviant talk and reinforcement thereof during conversations about sexuality-related topics with their friends. Finally, sexuality-specific parenting (frequent sexual communication) moderated (reduced or buffered) the over-time effects of descriptive sexual peer norms and peer pressure on adolescents’ intention to have sex. Overall, this dissertation shows that various aspects of adolescents’ relations with parents and peers are associated over time with various aspects of their emerging sexuality (behaviors, cognitions, emotions), and in various ways. Surprisingly few gender differences were found in the relations between the investigated factors and adolescent sexuality, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms operated similarly for boys and girls. The findings form a valuable contribution to the existing knowledge about how normative, risky, and positive adolescent sexuality develops in the context of relations with parents and peers. The results also contain relevant implications for educational and parental strategies that aim to promote healthy and positive sexual development during adolescence