| Jeni Loftus | |
| Assistant Professor Department of Sociology Purdue University |
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Loftus, Jeni and Brian C. Kelly. Forthcoming. "Short-Term Sexual Health Effects of Relationships with Significantly Older Females on Adolescent Boys." Journal of Adolescent Health.
Abstract Purpose: To examine the short term effects on the sexual health of adolescent boys in age discordant relationships. Methods: Weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted using data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Survey of Adolescent Health to determine the health effects of entry into an age discordant relationship on adolescent boys. Results: Results indicate that boys involved in an age discordant relationship, in comparison to boys in an age similar relationship, had higher odds of having had sexual intercourse (OR=2.92), having gotten a partner pregnant (OR=1.89), having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (OR=4.41), and having lost one's virginity (OR=3.39). Analyses on the sexually active subset reveal no significant relationship between involvement in an age discordant relationship and birth control use broadly or condom use specifically at their most recent sexual intercourse. Conclusion: On the whole, entering into an age discordant relationship as the younger partner is associated with some adverse sexual health effects for adolescent boys. Thus, some outcomes demonstrated in previous research to be problematic for adolescent girls dating significantly older males are similarly problematic for adolescent boys dating older females. |