Relations between social skills and highrisk sexual interactions among adolescents: Current issues and future directions

Acquired immune defi ciency syndrome (AIDS) has revitalized so-ciety’s interest in the sexual behavior of adolescents. Although AIDS has captured most of society’s attention, sexually active adolescents face a range of serious health risks. The current epidemic of sexu-ally transmitted diseases (STDs) is the major health threat faced by adolescents today (MacDonald et al., 1990; Select Committee on 113 Authors ’ Note: We would like to thank Dr. Joseph R. Scotti for his input and feedback on an earlier version of this article. Special thanks to Rebecca E. Carr for her thoughtful and frequent feedback on a number of versions of this article. Thanks also to Catherine A. Martin and Jody E. Warner for their comments on an earlier draft