Abstract
This article focuses on whether sexual activity is best considered in the same paradigm as adolescent substance use and assault or separately. Among black, inner-city adolescents (N = 705), followed longitudinally since first grade, 3 questions were examined: (1) how these 3 behaviors co-occur, (2) their early family and school precursors, and (3) their relations with adolescent school behavior and parental supervision. The 3 most frequent patterns were compared: no problem behaviors, only sexual activity, and the combination of sexual activity, heavy substance use, and/or assault. In general, the mulbproblem adolescents differed from the other adolescents in their behavior and parental supervision. While sex-only males were similar to the no-problem males, sex-only females differed from the no-problem girls in their family origins. These results suggest that by examining adolescent behaviors in their co-occurring combinations in epidemiologically defined populations, variations in pathways to deviance can be better understood.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Risks and Problem Behaviors in Adolescence |
Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
Pages | 150-164 |
Number of pages | 15 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781135680824 |
ISBN (Print) | 0815332947, 9780815332947 |
State | Published - Jan 1 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Psychology