Citation

Brook JS, Balka EB, Abernathy T, Hamburg BA. J. Genet. Psychol. 1994; 155(1): 107-114.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, New York Medical College.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8021615

Abstract

This study examined the sequence of sexual behavior of 695 African American and 637 Puerto Rican adolescents and the relationship of this sequence to other problem behavior measures. Analyses indicated that adolescents proceed through four stages of sexual behavior: no involvement, then deep kissing, then petting, and, finally, sexual intercourse. The sequence was similar in both ethnic groups and seemed both unidimensional and cumulative. In addition, for both ethnic groups the degree of sexual involvement was significantly related to the level of drug use and to the frequency of delinquent behavior, thereby suggesting an underlying problem behavior syndrome. Directions for future research are suggested.

Language: en