Abstract
As early initiation of dating behaviors is associated with risky sexual behaviors (e.g., higher number of sexual partners, sex with strangers), the current study examined determinants of early dating behaviors, focusing on impulsivity. Participants were 11–12-year-old boys (n = 109) and girls (n = 61) recruited from a psychiatric clinic and ads targeted to the general public. Ordered logistic regression models were used to examine the association between each facet of impulsivity (negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) and dating behaviors. Youth with higher sensation seeking and negative urgency was more likely to initiate dating behaviors at early ages compared to those with lower scores on those measures. Further, we found that female gender and higher parental education were associated with lower risk of initiating dating behaviors at early age. Advanced pubertal development was associated with higher risk for early dating. Our findings can inform prevention efforts, identifying sensation seeking and negative urgency as predictors of youths’ early engagement in dating behaviors, which can be a precursor of early sexual debut and risky sexual behaviors.
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This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (1R01DA039764 PI: Dr. Leslie Hulvershorn). Sponsors had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
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EK contributed to conceptualization of the paper, data analysis, writing first draft of the manuscript. MA contributed to conceptualization of the paper and critical review of the manuscript. TZ contributed to conceptualization of the paper and critical review of the manuscript. PM contributed to conceptualization of the paper and critical review of the manuscript. LH contributed to conceptualization of the paper and critical review of the manuscript.
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Kwon, E., Aalsma, M.C., Zapolski, T.C.B. et al. Impulsivity as a Predictor of Early Dating Initiation in 11–12-Year-Old Youth. Arch Sex Behav 52, 1435–1443 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02495-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02495-1