Sociocultural contexts of time to first sex among Hispanic adolescents

This investigation examines the sociocultural influences on risk of first s ex among a representative sample of Hispanic (primarily of Mexican origin) teens living in Los Angeles County. Teen acculturation (measured as languag e of interview) moderates the effects of gender on risk of sex, with less a cculturated teens exhibiting the greatest gender difference. Teens living w ith both biological parents have significantly lower risk of sex and the ef fect of family acculturation (measured as generational status) operates thr ough teens' language of interview. Neither measure of parent-youth relation ship (socioemotional support, parental control) is significant. Hispanic te ens living in low-density Hispanic neighborhoods have significantly higher risk of sex than do teens living in neighborhoods with higher levels of amb ient hazards. The results highlight the importance of characterizing socioc ultural influences at multiple levels of aggregation.