Citation

Grello CM, Welsh DP, Harper MS, Dickson JW. Adolesc. Fam. Health 2003; 3(3): 103-112.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Instutute for Youth Development)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study aimed to disentangle the separate contributions of adoles­cent dating, romantic sex, and casual sex to depressive symptoms, delin­quent behaviors, and experiences of violent victimization among adoles­cents. To explore these associations we began with a nationally repre­sentative sample of adolescent virgins who had never dated (N = 2344). We examined the different trajectories these youth took the following year. By distinguishing between dating, romantic sex, and casual sex, we found that the transition to dating or romantic sexual intercourse was not associated with significant increases in depressive symptoms, delin­quent behaviors, or experiences of violent victimization; however, casual sex was associated with significantly greater psychological distress and problem behaviors before and after transition. We also discovered that casual sex is quite pervasive among adolescents. Almost 15% of twelve to sixteen year olds and more than 40% of seventeen to twenty-one year olds in our nationally representative sample who were virgins at Wave 1 had engaged in casual sex during the following year. The implications of these findings for adolescents’ health are discussed.