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Sexual debut before the age of 14 leads to poorer psychosocial health and risky behaviour in later life

Kastbom, Asa A. ; Sydsjo, Gunilla ; Bladh, Marie ; Priebe, Gisela LU and Svedin, Carl-Goran (2015) In Acta Pædiatrica 104(1). p.91-100
Abstract
Aim: This study investigated the relationship between sexual debut before 14 years of age and socio-demographics, sexual experience, health, experience of child abuse and behaviour at 18 years of age. Methods: A sample of 3432 Swedish high school seniors completed a survey about sexuality, health and abuse at the age of 18. Results: Early debut was positively correlated with risky behaviours, such as the number of partners, experience of oral and anal sex, health behaviours, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and antisocial behaviour, such as being violent, lying, stealing and running away from home. Girls with an early sexual debut had significantly more experience of sexual abuse. Boys with an early sexual debut were more likely to... (More)
Aim: This study investigated the relationship between sexual debut before 14 years of age and socio-demographics, sexual experience, health, experience of child abuse and behaviour at 18 years of age. Methods: A sample of 3432 Swedish high school seniors completed a survey about sexuality, health and abuse at the age of 18. Results: Early debut was positively correlated with risky behaviours, such as the number of partners, experience of oral and anal sex, health behaviours, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and antisocial behaviour, such as being violent, lying, stealing and running away from home. Girls with an early sexual debut had significantly more experience of sexual abuse. Boys with an early sexual debut were more likely to have a weak sense of coherence, low self-esteem and poor mental health, together with experience of sexual abuse, selling sex and physical abuse. A multiple logistic regression model showed that a number of antisocial acts and health behaviours remained significant, but early sexual debut did not increase the risk of psychiatric symptoms, low self-esteem or low sense of coherence at 18 years of age. Conclusion: Early sexual debut was associated with problematic behaviours during later adolescence, and this vulnerability requires attention from parents and healthcare providers. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Child abuse, Drug use, Risky behaviour, Sexual behaviour, Sexual debut
in
Acta Pædiatrica
volume
104
issue
1
pages
91 - 100
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000346987300025
  • scopus:84920073460
  • pmid:25213099
ISSN
1651-2227
DOI
10.1111/apa.12803
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
186d4841-05b3-4c38-9ed8-6690815387b4 (old id 5085052)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:37:04
date last changed
2022-03-22 00:56:46
@article{186d4841-05b3-4c38-9ed8-6690815387b4,
  abstract     = {{Aim: This study investigated the relationship between sexual debut before 14 years of age and socio-demographics, sexual experience, health, experience of child abuse and behaviour at 18 years of age. Methods: A sample of 3432 Swedish high school seniors completed a survey about sexuality, health and abuse at the age of 18. Results: Early debut was positively correlated with risky behaviours, such as the number of partners, experience of oral and anal sex, health behaviours, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and antisocial behaviour, such as being violent, lying, stealing and running away from home. Girls with an early sexual debut had significantly more experience of sexual abuse. Boys with an early sexual debut were more likely to have a weak sense of coherence, low self-esteem and poor mental health, together with experience of sexual abuse, selling sex and physical abuse. A multiple logistic regression model showed that a number of antisocial acts and health behaviours remained significant, but early sexual debut did not increase the risk of psychiatric symptoms, low self-esteem or low sense of coherence at 18 years of age. Conclusion: Early sexual debut was associated with problematic behaviours during later adolescence, and this vulnerability requires attention from parents and healthcare providers.}},
  author       = {{Kastbom, Asa A. and Sydsjo, Gunilla and Bladh, Marie and Priebe, Gisela and Svedin, Carl-Goran}},
  issn         = {{1651-2227}},
  keywords     = {{Child abuse; Drug use; Risky behaviour; Sexual behaviour; Sexual debut}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{91--100}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Acta Pædiatrica}},
  title        = {{Sexual debut before the age of 14 leads to poorer psychosocial health and risky behaviour in later life}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/apa.12803}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/apa.12803}},
  volume       = {{104}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}