Psychosocial factors associated with sexual behaviour in early adolescence

Objectives To compare the psychosocial characteristics of sexually inexperienced adolescents with those of youths who had had sex, whether safe or unsafe.Methods We gathered information on self-esteem, well-being, social support, family structure, educational aspiration, parental education and sexual behaviour of 2318 adolescents (mean-age 14.3 years) attending elementary school in Slovakia. Those who reported having had first sex after a relationship shorter than one month, who reported sex after alcohol consumption, who had had four or more sexual partners or who inconsistently used a condom were considered to have engaged in unsafe sex.Results Respondents who were younger, female, reported living in an intact family or having a higher level of social support from family were more likely to still be virgins. Adolescents who had sex, whether safe or unsafe, had similar psychosocial characteristics. Those who reported a higher level of positive self-esteem or social support from friends, but a lower level of well-being, social support from family or educational aspiration were more likely to engage in unsafe sex.Conclusion Psychosocial features of adolescents who reported having had unsafe sex were similar to those of adolescents who had had safe sex but differed from the characteristics of adolescents who reported not to have started sexual activity.