Abstract
Age at first intercourse for a sample of adult white women using variables measured during childhood is predicted. Childhood predictors were measured at birth, and ages 5 and 9–11, using existing public-use data on the women. Median age at first intercourse for the sample was 17.5 years. Early family predictors, early developmental characteristics, and temperamental characteristics during childhood together could predict about a fourth of the variance in age at first intercourse. The strongest predictors were motor skills and nightmares at age 5, church attendance with family at age 9, and domineering and mature personality at age 9.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Block, J., and Block, J. H. (1988). Longitudinally foretelling drug usage in adolescence: Early childhood personality and environmental precursors.Child Dev. 59: 336–355.
Browne, A., and Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research.Psychol. Bull. 99: 66–77.
Capaldi, D. M. (1991). Fourth grade predictors of initiation of sexual intercourse by ninth grade, for boys. Paper presented at the meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, WA.
Hogan, D. P., and Kitagawa, E. M. (1985). The impact of social status, family structure, and neighborhood on the fertility of black adolescents.Am. J. Sociol. 90: 825–855.
Jessor, R., Costa, F., Jessor, L., and Donovan, J. E. (1983). Time of first intercourse: A prospective study.J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 44: 608–626.
Jessor, S. L., and Jessor, R. (1974). Transition from virginity to nonvirginity among youth: A social-psychological study over time.Dev. Psychol. 11: 473–484.
Kagan, J., and Moss, H. A. (1962).Birth to Maturity: A Study in Psychological Development Wiley, New York.
Kahn, J. R., Kalsbeek, W. D., and Hofferth, S. L. (1988). National estimates of teenage sexual activity: Evaluating the comparability of national surveys.Demography 25: 189–204.
Kellam, S. G., Brown, C. H., Rubin, B. R., and Ensminger, M. E. (1983). Paths leading to teenage psychiatric symptoms and substance use: Developmental epidemiological studies in Woodlawn. In Guze, S. B., Earls, F. J., and Barrett, J. E. (eds.),Childhood Psychopathology and Development Raven Press, New York, pp. 17–47.
Scarr, S., and McCartney, K. (1983). How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype-environment effects.Child Dev. 54: 424–435.
Thornton, A., and Camburn, D. (1987). The influence of the family on premarital sexual attitudes and behavior.Demography 24: 323–340.
Udry, J. R., and Billy, J. O. G. (1987). Initiation of coitus in early adolescence.Am. Sociol. Rev. 52: 841–855.
van den Berg, B. J. (1987).Data Archive and Users Manual of the Child Health and Development Study, Version 1.1, University of California, Berkeley.
van den Berg, B. J., Christianson, R. E., and Oeschsli, F. W. (1988). The California Child Health and Development Studies of the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.Pediat. Perinatal Epidemiol. 2: 265–282.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Udry, J.R., Kovenock, J., Morris, N.M. et al. Childhood precursors of age at first intercourse for females. Arch Sex Behav 24, 329–337 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541603
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01541603