Study Challenges Beliefs About Teen Sex

For sex education programs to be eligible for federal and state funding as abstinence-only programs, they must teach that "[s]exual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects." However, a study appearing in the May issue of The American Journal of Sociology has found this is only true for a percentage of teens.

Dr. Ann M. Meier, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota interviewed 8,563 junior high and high school students who had not had sex at the time of the initial interview. They were interviewed again one to two years later. During this time about 15 percent of the students had had sex, at an average age of 15.2 years to 17.5, depending on ethinicity.

Meier found that first sex was associated with a decrease in self-esteem only for girls who were younger than average and who were not in a romantic relationship with their partner. Girls who had sex in short-term relationships that ended were also at a greater risk for depressive symptoms. However, girls who had sex at an average or older than average age did not have increased risk for depression compared to girls who did not have sex.

For boys, having sex at a younger age was not associated with depression or a decrease in self esteem.

Read more: New Findings Add Nuance to Discussion of Early Sex