EARLY INITIATION OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE - THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL UNCONVENTIONALITY

Longitudinal data were used to examine the relationship of psychosocia l unconventionality-rejection of societal norms and a propensity to en gage in nonconforming behavior-to early initiation of sexual intercour se in an urban sample of 1,330 White, Hispanic, and African-American m ale and female middle-school and high-school students. Measures of unc onventionality were taken from the social-psychological framework of P roblem-Behavior Theory. Analysis of variance and Cox proportional haza rd regression analysis were used to test the linkage of these measures to earlier initiation of intercourse. The model fit the data well for White and Hispanic youths; greater prior unconventionality was associ ated longitudinally with earlier transition to nonvirginity. The model was less appropriate for African-American adolescents. Reasons for th ese group differences are discussed.