Sexual intercourse precedes partner violence in adolescent romantic relationships. 2005

Christine E Kaestle, and Carolyn T Halpern
Department of Maternal & Child Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7400, USA. kaestle@email.unc.edu

OBJECTIVE To examine whether psychological or physical violence between adolescent romantic partners is associated with the sexual intercourse status of the couple. METHODS This study used a nationally representative sample of 6548 adolescents 12 to 21 years old from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Variables of interest include violence between partners, whether partners had sexual intercourse, and demographics such as respondent's gender, race, and socioeconomic status. Bivariate comparisons of proportions and logistic regression models were used to analyze data. RESULTS Violent victimization was more likely to occur in romantic relationships that included sexual intercourse: 37% of the respondents reporting sexual relationships experienced at least one form of verbal or physical violence victimization, compared with 19% of those reporting relationships with no sexual intercourse. In relationships characterized by both sexual intercourse and violence, sexual intercourse was significantly more likely to precede violence rather than the reverse, regardless of type of violent act. CONCLUSIONS The covariation of violent victimization and sexual intercourse in adolescent romantic relationships underscores the need for health and sex education programs to integrate instruction and guidance on multiple facets of romance and sexuality.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008137 Longitudinal Studies Studies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of time. Bogalusa Heart Study,California Teachers Study,Framingham Heart Study,Jackson Heart Study,Longitudinal Survey,Tuskegee Syphilis Study,Bogalusa Heart Studies,California Teachers Studies,Framingham Heart Studies,Heart Studies, Bogalusa,Heart Studies, Framingham,Heart Studies, Jackson,Heart Study, Bogalusa,Heart Study, Framingham,Heart Study, Jackson,Jackson Heart Studies,Longitudinal Study,Longitudinal Surveys,Studies, Bogalusa Heart,Studies, California Teachers,Studies, Jackson Heart,Studies, Longitudinal,Study, Bogalusa Heart,Study, California Teachers,Study, Longitudinal,Survey, Longitudinal,Surveys, Longitudinal,Syphilis Studies, Tuskegee,Syphilis Study, Tuskegee,Teachers Studies, California,Teachers Study, California,Tuskegee Syphilis Studies
D008297 Male Males
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D003075 Coitus The sexual union of a male and a female, a term used for human only. Sexual Intercourse,Coital Frequency,First Intercourse,Coital Frequencies,First Intercourses,Frequencies, Coital,Frequency, Coital,Intercourse, First,Intercourse, Sexual,Intercourses, First
D005260 Female Females
D006306 Health Surveys A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to health and disease in a human population within a given geographic area. Abortion Surveys,Abortion Survey,Health Survey,Survey, Abortion,Survey, Health,Surveys, Abortion,Surveys, Health
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000294 Adolescent Behavior Any observable response or action of an adolescent. Behavior, Adolescent,Adolescent Behaviors,Behaviors, Adolescent
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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