%0 Journal Article
%T Predicting Age of Sexual Initiation: Family
%A Janie M. Leary
%A Jason Ottley
%A Kristin L. Moilanen
%A S. Michelle Watson
%J The Journal of Early Adolescence
%@ 1552-5449
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/0272431615586462
%X We investigated how family characteristics and experiences during early adolescence predicted timing of sexual initiation. In addition, we investigated adolescent sex and race/ethnicity as potential moderating factors. As part of the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (CNLSY-79), 799 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years provided data at 2-year intervals between 1994 and 2010 (51.7% male; 24.5% Hispanic, 36.5% African American, 38.9% European American); their mothers also provided data in 1986 and 1994. Analyses indicated that early sexual initiation was primarily attributable to male sex, Black race, early maternal childbearing, father absence, and adolescents¡¯ autonomous decision making during early adolescence. Multigroup path models suggested that few effects were moderated by sex or race/ethnicity. We discuss implications of these findings for future research and prevention/intervention efforts
%K sexual timing
%K sexual initiation
%K family context
%K autonomy
%K parent-child relationships
%K NLSY-79
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0272431615586462