The Relationship Between Early Sexual Debut and Psychosocial Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study of Dutch Adolescents

In a longitudinal dataset of 470 Dutch adolescents, the current study examined the ways in which early sexual initiation was related to subsequent attachment, self-perception, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. For male adolescents, analyses revealed general attachment to mother and externalizing problems at Wave 1 to predict to early transition at Wave 2. However, there was no differential change in these psychosocial factors over time for early initiators of sexual intercourse and their non-initiating peers. For female adolescents, the model including psychosocial factors at Wave 1 did not predict to sexual initiation at Wave 2. However, univariate repeated measures analyses revealed early initiators to have significantly larger increases in self-concept and externalizing problems than their non-initiating female peers. While the difference between female early initiators and non-initiators were statistically significant, the mean levels of problem behaviors were very low. The findings suggest that, contrary to previous research, early sexual initiation does not seem to be clustered with problem behaviors for this sample of Dutch adolescents

Latent class analysis of sexual health markers among men and women participating in a British probability sample survey.

BACKGROUND: Despite known associations between different aspects of sexual health, it is not clear how patterning of adverse sexual health varies across the general population. A better understanding should contribute towards more effective problem identification, prevention and treatment. We sought to identify different clusters of sexual health markers in a general population, along with their socio-demographic, health and lifestyle correlates. METHODS: Data came from men (N = 5113) and women (N = 7019) aged 16-74 who reported partnered sexual activity in the past year in Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, undertaken in 2010-2012. Latent class analysis used 18 self-reported variables relating to adverse sexual health outcomes (STI and unplanned pregnancy, non-volitional sex, and sexual function problems). Correlates included socio-demographics, early debut, alcohol/drug use, depression, and satisfaction/distress with sex life. RESULTS: Four classes were found for men (labelled Good Sexual Health 83%, Wary Risk-takers 4%, Unwary Risk-takers 4%, Sexual Function Problems 9%); six for women (Good Sexual Health 52%, Wary Risk-takers 2%, Unwary Risk-takers 7%, Low Interest 29%, Sexual Function Problems 7%, Highly Vulnerable 2%). Regardless of gender, Unwary Risk-takers reported lower STI/HIV risk perception and more condomless sex than Wary Risk-takers, but both were more likely to report STI diagnosis than Good Sexual Health classes. Highly Vulnerable women reported abortion, STIs and functional problems, and more sexual coercion than other women. Distinct socio-demographic profiles differentiated higher-risk classes from Good Sexual Health classes, with depression, alcohol/drug use, and early sexual debut widely-shared correlates of higher-risk classes. Females in higher-risk classes, and men with functional problems, evaluated their sex lives more negatively than those with Good Sexual Health. CONCLUSIONS: A greater prevalence and diversity of poor sexual health appears to exist among women than men in Britain, with more consistent effects on women's subjective sexual well-being. Shared health and lifestyle characteristics of higher-risk groups suggest widespread benefits of upstream interventions. Several groups could benefit from tailored interventions: men and women who underestimate their STI/HIV risk exposure, women distressed by low interest in sex, and women experiencing multiple adverse outcomes. Distinctive socio-demographic profiles should assist with identification and targeting

Gender Nonconformity, Sexual Orientation, and Dutch Adolescents’ Relationship with Peers

Same-sex attraction and gender nonconformity have both been shown to negatively affect the relationships of adolescents with their peers. It is not clear, though, whether same-sex attracted adolescents are more likely to have negative peer relationships because they are same-sex attracted or because they are more likely to be gender nonconforming. It is also possible that both stressors affect peer relationships independently or amplify each other in their impact. We explored these questions in a sample of 486 Dutch adolescents (M age = 14.02 years). We found that same-sex attraction and gender nonconformity both had an independent effect and that gender nonconformity moderated, but not mediated, the associations between same-sex attraction and peer relationships at school. Same-sex attraction was more strongly associated with poorer relationships with peers in adolescents who were more gender nonconforming. These findings indicate the importance of including gender nonconformity in the understanding of same-sex attracted adolescents’ relationships and suggest that in order to improve same-sex attracted adolescents’ social position at school, acceptance of gender diversity should be promoted as well

Adolescência, comportamento sexual e fatores de risco à saúde

OBJETIVO : Analisar a rela&#231;&#227;o entre comportamento sexual e fatores de risco &#224; sa&#250;de f&#237;sica ou mental entre adolescentes. M&#201;TODOS : Estudo realizado com 3.195 escolares de 15 a 19 anos de idade, do segundo ano do ensino m&#233;dio de escolas p&#250;blicas e particulares das capitais de 10 estados do Brasil, em 2007-2008. Foi utilizada amostragem por conglomerados com multiest&#225;gio de sele&#231;&#227;o (escolas e alunos) em cada cidade e rede de ensino p&#250;blica e particular. Foi aplicado question&#225;rio a todos os alunos selecionados, com os seguintes itens: dados socioecon&#244;micos e demogr&#225;ficos; comportamento sexual; &#8220;transar&#8221; com pessoas do mesmo sexo, do sexo oposto ou de ambos os sexos; uso de bebida alco&#243;lica e maconha; usar camisinha ao &#8220;transar&#8221;; presen&#231;a de experi&#234;ncias sexuais traum&#225;ticas na inf&#226;ncia ou adolesc&#234;ncia; e idea&#231;&#227;o suicida. A an&#225;lise incluiu descri&#231;&#227;o de frequ&#234;ncias, teste de Qui-quadrado, an&#225;lise de correspond&#234;ncia m&#250;ltipla e de cluster. Foram analisadas qualitativamente, por an&#225;lise dos conte&#250;dos manifestos, as respostas a uma quest&#227;o livre em que o adolescente expressou coment&#225;rios gerais sobre si e sua vida. RESULTADOS : Cerca de 3,0% dos adolescentes referiu comportamento homossexual ou bissexual, sem diferencia&#231;&#227;o de sexo, idade, cor da pele, estrato social, estrutura familiar e rede de ensino. Adolescentes com comportamento homo/bissexual comparados aos heterossexuais relataram (p < 0,05): ficar de &#8220;porre&#8221; (18,7% e 10,5%, respectivamente), uso frequente de maconha (6,1% e 2,1%, respectivamente), idea&#231;&#227;o suicida (42,5% e 18,7%, respectivamente) e ter sido v&#237;tima de viol&#234;ncia sexual (11,7% e 1,5%; respectivamente). Adolescentes com comportamento homo/bissexual relataram utilizar menos preservativo de forma frequente (74,2%) do que aqueles com comportamento heterossexual (48,6%, p < 0,001). Tr&#234;s grupos foram encontrados na an&#225;lise de correspond&#234;ncia: composto por adolescentes com comportamento homo/bissexual e que vivenciava os fatores de risco: sofrer viol&#234;ncia sexual, nunca utilizar camisinha ao &#8220;transar&#8221;, idea&#231;&#227;o suicida, uso frequente de maconha; composto por usu&#225;rios ocasionais de maconha e camisinha e com frequentes &#8220;porres&#8221;; adolescentes com comportamento heterossexual e aus&#234;ncia dos fatores de risco investigados. Entre adolescentes com comportamento homo e bissexual, houve mais fatores de risco quando comparados &#224;queles com comportamento heterossexual. Os adolescentes com comportamento homo e bissexual expuseram mais suas viv&#234;ncias pessoais positivas e relacionamentos negativos do que seus pares heterossexuais, mas se expressaram menos sobre religiosidade. CONCLUS&#213;ES : O tema n&#227;o somente deve ser mais estudado como tamb&#233;m devem ser ampliadas as a&#231;&#245;es preventivas voltadas aos adolescentes com rela&#231;&#245;es afetivo-sexuais homo/bissexuais

First anal intercourse and condom use among men who have sex with men in Switzerland.

The aim of this study was to analyze the circumstances of first anal intercourse (FAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and to identify factors associated with condom use at this event. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among a convenience sample of MSM living in Switzerland (N = 2,200). Anonymous questionnaires were distributed using Swiss gay communication channels (newspapers, associations, websites) and gay bathhouses. We gathered data on age at FAI, age of the partner, degree of familiarity with him, place of first meeting, and sociodemographic indicators. We did not ask whether FAI was insertive, receptive, or both. Data were stratified by birth year classes (birth cohorts). The median age at FAI fell from 24.5 years among men born before 1965 to 20.0 years among those born between 1975 and 1984 (p &lt; .001). In each birth cohort, between 20 and 30% reported a partner 10 years older or more. Of eight variables examined in multivariate analysis, two were positively associated with condom use: age of participants at FAI and low degree of familiarity between partners. Conversely, large age discrepancy between partners was negatively associated with condom use. In conclusion, our data showed that early initiation of anal intercourse and large age discrepancy were associated with risk taking: a pattern of initiation that may facilitate HIV transmission from older to younger cohorts of MSM. Since age at FAI is on the decrease, there is an urgent need to heighten awareness of prevention actions regarding sexual debut of MSM