Transitions in Body and Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Study on the Relationship Between Pubertal Development and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Baams, Laura; Dubas, Judith Semon; Overbeek, Geertjan; Aken, Marcel A. G. van

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.11.019

Cited by 113 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Age of menarche is the most commonly used index [16], and perceived pubertal timing relative to peers is also widely used. Across studies, early menarche and early perceived pubertal timing (i.e., perceiving one’s development to be more advanced than same-age peers) are each associated with early sexual initiation, more coital and noncoital experiences, and sexual risk-taking [7,17]. Although related to some behaviors similarly, each index captures different aspects of pubertal timing.…”

Section: Measurement Of Pubertal Timingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cognitive development, and executive functioning in particular, continues throughout adolescence into early adulthood [4–6]. Girls with adult bodies may elicit attention from potential romantic and/or sexual partners, and consequently, opportunities for romance and sex may emerge earlier for them than for girls with younger-looking bodies [7,8]. These adolescent romantic/sexual relationships may provide occasions to build interpersonal skills and resilience, or may burden the adolescent with “relationship baggage [9];” either scenario likely has long-term implications for romantic relationships in young adulthood.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications of Pubertal Timing for Romantic Relationship Quality Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Young Adults

Reese

Trinh

Halpern

2017

Journal of Adolescent Health

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Purpose Relative to on-time or late-maturing peers, girls who begin puberty early typically begin romantic and sexual experiences earlier; however, advanced pubertal status does not necessarily coincide with commensurate interpersonal skills necessary for healthy, romantic relationships. Research is limited on the long-term implications of early puberty for relationship quality, and virtually nothing is known about the social implications of early timing for sexual minority females. Methods Using linear regression, we examine longitudinal associations between two measures of girls’ pubertal timing (self-perceived timing and menarcheal age) and romantic relationship quality in young adulthood, stratified by sexual orientation, among 5,568 females in Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We also examine whether identified associations are mediated by parent-adolescent relationship quality. Results Among sexual minorities, early self-perceived pubertal timing was associated with lower adult romantic relationship quality compared to on-time maturers (β= −2.32; SE=1.44; p=0.05); this association was mediated by parent-adolescent relationship quality. Among heterosexuals, girls experiencing menarche before age 12 (early maturers) reported lower adult relationship quality compared to on-time maturers (β= −0.43; SE=0.22; p=0.03); parent-adolescent relationship quality did not mediate this association. Conclusions Early maturation is associated with lower romantic relationship quality in young adulthood. However, evidence of the association varies by measure of pubertal timing, and the processes by which pubertal timing is linked to later relationship quality may be different for sexual minority and heterosexual females. Potential explanations and public health implications are discussed.

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Section: Measurement Of Pubertal Timingmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of Pubertal Timing for Romantic Relationship Quality Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Young Adults

Reese

Trinh

Halpern

2017

Journal of Adolescent Health

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“…Conversely, it has been proposed that earlier puberty timing is a life-history strategy that promotes greater reproductive fitness8. Yet, despite some reports that earlier puberty timing is associated with younger age at first sexual intercourse (AFS)9,10 and younger age at first birth (AFB), there is yet little evidence that this trait is associated with reproductive fitness11.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical and neurobehavioral determinants of reproductive onset and success

et al. 2016

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The ages of puberty, first sexual intercourse and first birth signify the onset of reproductive ability, behaviour and success, respectively. These sequenced events have behavioural, physiological and health significance, and may also influence overall reproductive fitness. In a genome-wide association study of 125,667 white men and women aged 40-69 in the UK Biobank Study, we identify 38 sequence variants with association P-values <5×10-8 with age at first sexual intercourse. Findings were taken forward in up to 241,910 men and women from deCODE Iceland and 20,187 from Women’s Genome Health Study. Several of these loci also exhibit strong associations with behavioural traits (rs4856591 in CADM2 and risk taking propensity: P=4.3×10-10; rs73195303 in MSRA and irritable temperament: P=5.8×10-11) and other reproductive traits (rs67229052 in ESR1 and both age at first birth: P=1.2x10-13 and number of children: P=4.8×10-12; rs2188151 in SEMA3F and age at first birth: P=8.76×10-15). In Mendelian randomisation analyses, we demonstrate likely causal influences of earlier puberty timing on earlier first sexual intercourse, earlier first birth and fewer years of education. In turn, likely causal consequences of earlier first sexual intercourse include reproductive, educational, psychiatric and cardiometabolic outcomes. These findings point to the existence of developmental and neuro-behavioural regulators of reproductive activity and success.

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“…In another study, communication with a partner about contraception prior to sex was associated with use of effective contraceptives among 13–20‐year‐olds, but not 21–25‐year‐olds . Further, a review found that early pubertal timing and advanced pubertal status were positively associated with the number of sexual acts and participation in risky sexual behaviors among adolescents . Because sexual self‐efficacy develops during adolescence and as female adolescents become more sexually experienced, age should be considered in assessments of intimate partner violence, reproductive coercion, condom negotiation self‐efficacy and reproductive health.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Abusive Experiences and Young Women's Sexual Health Outcomes: Is Condom Negotiation Self‐Efficacy a Mediator?

Jones

Cornelius

Silverman

et al. 2016

Perspect Sexual Reproductive

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CONTEXT Intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion are associated with unintended pregnancies and STDs. Greater condom negotiation self-efficacy among young women may mediate these associations. METHODS A sample of 841 female adolescents (aged 16–19) and 1,387 young adult women (aged 20–24) recruited from 24 family planning clinics in western Pennsylvania in 2011–2012 reported on intimate partner violence, reproductive coercion, condom negotiation self-efficacy and sexual health outcomes at baseline and four- and 12-month follow-ups. Mixed models were used to test associations of intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion with unintended pregnancy and STD diagnosis. The Sobel test of mediation was used to measure indirect effects of condom negotiation self-efficacy. RESULTS At baseline, 15% of adolescents and 11% of young adults reported recent intimate partner violence victimization; 7% and 6%, respectively, reported recent reproductive coercion. For both age-groups, intimate partner violence and reproductive coercion were associated with a reduced level of condom negotiation self-efficacy (coefficients, −0.27 to −0.13) and increased odds of STD diagnosis (odds ratios, 1.03–1.1). However, only reproductive coercion was associated with unintended pregnancy (odds ratios, 1.1 for each group). The only association that condom negotiation self-efficacy mediated was between reproductive coercion and unintended pregnancy among young adults (17% of total effect). CONCLUSIONS Targeting condom negotiation self-efficacy alone in abusive relationships would likely not translate into improved sexual health outcomes in this population. Other strategies are needed to prevent unintended pregnancy and STDs.

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Transitions in Body and Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Study on the Relationship Between Pubertal Development and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Cited by 113 publications

References 72 publications

Implications of Pubertal Timing for Romantic Relationship Quality Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Young Adults

Implications of Pubertal Timing for Romantic Relationship Quality Among Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Young Adults

Physical and neurobehavioral determinants of reproductive onset and success

Abusive Experiences and Young Women's Sexual Health Outcomes: Is Condom Negotiation Self‐Efficacy a Mediator?

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