Dataset Information

Peer Acceptance and Sexual Behaviors from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

ABSTRACT: Well-liked adolescents are more likely than their peers to engage in sexual behaviors, which may place them at higher risk of negative outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. Yet, little is known regarding whether peer acceptance in adolescence predicts sexual outcomes in young adulthood. Understanding developmental links between peer acceptance and sexual outcomes will inform theories of how peers affect health and can help identify targets for health promotion efforts. Using longitudinal sociometric data from 1878 participants in the PROSPER study (54% female, 82% White, mean age?=?11.79 at baseline), the present research examined the association of adolescent peer acceptance, reported annually from grades 6-11, with adolescent and young adult sexual outcomes. Well-liked adolescents were more likely to have sexual intercourse by age 16. At age 19, well-liked individuals were more likely to have had sexual intercourse but were less likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. For boys but not girls, peer acceptance was linked to having more past year sexual partners in young adulthood. Adolescent peer acceptance was not associated with other young adult sexual outcomes, such as sex without a condom or casual sex. Overall, well-liked adolescents demonstrated healthy sexual development into young adulthood, despite a higher likelihood of sexual initiation early in adolescence. Findings demonstrate the importance of peer acceptance for healthy development into young adulthood and suggest that well-liked adolescents may be appropriate targets for peer-led sexual health education programs.

SUBMITTER: Wesche R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6508983 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Peer Acceptance and Sexual Behaviors from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

Wesche Rose R Kreager Derek A DA Feinberg Mark E ME Lefkowitz Eva S ES

Journal of youth and adolescence 20190501 5

Well-liked adolescents are more likely than their peers to engage in sexual behaviors, which may place them at higher risk of negative outcomes such as sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. Yet, little is known regarding whether peer acceptance in adolescence predicts sexual outcomes in young adulthood. Understanding developmental links between peer acceptance and sexual outcomes will inform theories of how peers affect health and can help identify targets for health promotion ...[more]

PMID: 30771075

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Project description:ImportanceDepressive symptoms have increased among US adolescents since 2010. It remains unclear as to what extent this increase will persist into young adulthood, potentially turning the youth mental health crisis into a young adult mental health crisis.ObjectiveTo test the association between birth cohort and adolescent depressive symptoms at ages 18, 19 to 20, and 21 to 22 years and changes in these symptoms by cohort.Design, setting, and participantsThis panel cohort study analyzed data from the Monitoring the Future longitudinal survey from 1990 to 2019, including birth cohorts from 1972 to 2001. Survey respondents were recruited from US high schools in 12th grade and were approximately aged 18 years (at baseline) through age 21 to 22 years (during mail and web follow-up). Data analysis was conducted from April to October 2023.ExposureDepressive symptoms score (>12 vs ≤12, with >12 representing top-decile scores) on a scale examining affective items (eg, "Life often seems meaningless").Main outcomes and measuresHigh (vs lower) depressive symptoms at ages 19 to 20 years and 21 to 22 years.ResultsThe 36 552 respondents included 18 597 females (50.5%), and most reported having a parent who graduated from college (44.8%). Among females, 19.1% (95% CI, 16.7%-21.4%) of the most recent birth cohort (born: 1997-2001) had high depressive symptoms at age 18 years, higher than any previous birth cohort. While prevalence declined by age 21 to 22 years, it remained higher than previous cohorts at that age. Among males, 13.4% (95% CI, 11.2%-15.6%) of the most recent birth cohort had high depressive symptoms at age 18 years, and prevalence increased through young adulthood. Males with high baseline depressive symptoms had 10.24 (95% CI, 7.01-14.97) times the odds of symptoms at age 19 to 20 years and 6.20 (95% CI, 3.93-9.78) times the odds of symptoms at age 21 to 22 years. Females with high baseline depressive symptoms had 9.16 (95% CI, 6.57-12.76) times the odds of symptoms at age 19 to 20 years and 7.28 (95% CI, 4.92-10.78) times the odds of symptoms at age 21 to 22 years. The magnitude of the associations did not vary over time. Population attributable fractions indicated that the total proportion of young adult symptoms associated with depressive symptoms at age 18 years among females has increased; in the most recent birth cohort, 55.25% (95% CI, 38.11%-65.13%) of depressive symptoms at age 21 to 22 years were associated with symptoms at age 18 years.Conclusions and relevanceThis panel cohort study found that increases in depressive symptoms in adolescence persisted into young adulthood, suggesting the need for primary prevention and mental health resources during the adolescent years.

Dataset Information

Peer Acceptance and Sexual Behaviors from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

Publications

Peer Acceptance and Sexual Behaviors from Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

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