Sex and the self: The impact of early sexual onset on the self-concept and subsequent risky behavior of African American adolescents

Journal of Early Adolescence

Volumn 28, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 70-91

  Houlihan, Amy E ^a   Gibbons, Frederick X ^a   Gerrard, Meg ^a   Yeh, Hsiu Chen ^a   Reimer, Rachel A ^a   Murry, Velma M ^b  

^a IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA   (United States)

Author keywords

Adolescence; African American; Gender difference; Prototype; Risky sex; Self concept; Sexual debut

Indexed keywords

EID: 37849043691     PISSN: 02724316     EISSN: 15525449     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/0272431607308670     Document Type: Article

References (70)

1. Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckman (Eds.), Action control from cognition to behavior (pp. 11-39). New York: Springer-Verlag.
2. Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2004). U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics: Overall trends, trends by race and ethnicity, and state-by-state information. Retrieved July 29, 2006, from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/ state_pregnancy_trends.pdf
3. Andrews, J.A., Hampson, S.E., Barckley, M., Gerrard, M., & Gibbons, F.X. (2007). The effect of early cognitions on substance use in adolescence. Manuscript in preparation.
4. Bem, D.J. (1967). Self-perception: An alternative interpretation of cognitive dissonance phenomena. Psychological Review, 74, 183-200.
5. Billy, J.O.G., Brewster, K.L., & Grady, W.R. (1994). Contextual effects on the sexual behavior of adolescent women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 387-404.
6. Billy, J.O.G., Landale, N.S., Grady, W.R., & Zimmerle, D.M. (1988). Effects of sexual activity on adolescent social and psychological development. Social Psychology Quarterly, 51, 190-212.
7. Blanton, H., Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., Conger, K.J., & Smith, G.E. (1997). Development of health risk prototypes during adolescence: Family and peer influence. Journal of Family Psychology, 11, 271-288.
8. Brody, G.H., Ge, X., Conger, R.D., Gibbons, F.X., Murry, V.M., Gerrard, M., et al. (2001). The influence of neighborhood disadvantage, collective socialization, and parenting on African American children's affiliation with deviant peers. Child Development, 72, 1231-1246.
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2005). Trends in reportable sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, 2004: National surveillance data for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Retrieved July 29, 2006, from http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/04pdf/trends2004.pdf
10. CDC. (2006 a). Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summaries, 55 (SS-5).
11. CDC. (2006 b). Cases of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States, by race/ethnicity, 2000-2004. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Supplemental Report 2006, 12.
12. Clements, P., & Seidman, E. (2002). The ecology of middle grades schools and possible selves. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. L. Lipka (Eds.), Understanding early adolescent self and identity: Applications and interventions (pp. 133-164). Albany: State University of New York Press.
13. Cleveland, M.J., Wills, T.A., Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., & Pomery, E.A. (2007). Longitudinal analysis of the impact of sexual experiences on adolescent risky sex cognitions. Manuscript in preparation.
14. Cornelius, J.R., Clark, D.B., Reynolds, M., Kirisci, L., & Tarter, R. (in press). Early age of first sexual intercourse and affiliation with deviant peers predict development of SUD: A prospective longitudinal study. Addictive Behaviors.
15. Cutrona, C.E., Russell, D.W., Hessling, R., & Brown, P.A. (2000). Direct and moderating effects of community context on the psychological well-being of African American women. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 1088-1101.
16. Ellis, B.J., Bates, J.E., Dodge, K.A., Fergusson, D.M., Horwood, L.J., Pettit, G.S., et al. (2003). Does father absence place daughters at special risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy? Child Development, 74, 801-821.
17. Erikson, E.H. (1981). Youth, change, and challenge. New York: Basic Books.
18. Ethier, K.A., Kershaw, T.S., Lewis, J.B., Milan, S., Niccolai, L.M., & Ickovics, J.R. (2006). Self-esteem, emotional distress and sexual behavior among adolescent females: Inter-relationships and temporal effects. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38, 268-274.
19. Finkenauer, C., Engels, R.C.M.E., Meeus, W., & Oosterwegel, A. (2002). Self and identity in early adolescence: The pains and gains of knowing who and what you are. In T. M. Brinthaupt & R. L. Lipka (Eds.), Understanding early adolescent self and identity: Applications and interventions (pp. 25-56). Albany: State University of New York Press.
20. Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
21. Ford, K., & Norris, A.E. (1996). Sexually transmitted diseases: Experience and risk factors among urban, low income, African American and Hispanic youth. Ethnicity and Health, 1, 175-184.
22. Garwood, S.G., & Allen, L. (1979). Self-concept and identified problem differences between pre- and postmenarcheal adolescents. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 35, 528-537.
23. Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F.X., Benthin, A.C., & Hessling, R.M. (1996). A longitudinal study of the reciprocal nature of risk behaviors and cognitions in adolescence: What you do shapes what you think, and vice versa. Health Psychology, 15, 344-354.
24. Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F.X., Brody, G.H., Murry, V.M., Cleveland, M.J., & Wills, T.A. (2006). A theory-based dual focus alcohol intervention for pre-adolescents: The Strong African American Families Program. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20, 185-195.
25. Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F.X., Reis-Bergan, M., Trudeau, L., Vande Lune, L., & Buunk, B.P. (2002). Inhibitory effects of drinker and non-drinker prototypes on adolescent alcohol consumption. Health Psychology, 21, 601-609.
26. Gerrard, M., Gibbons, F.X., Stock, M.L., Vande Lune, L., & Cleveland, M.J. (2005). Images of smokers and willingness to smoke among African American pre-adolescents: An application of the prototype/willingness model of adolescent health risk behavior to smoking initiation. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 30, 305-318.
27. Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (1995). Predicting young adults' health risk behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 505-517.
28. Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (1997). Health images and their effects on health behavior. In B. P. Buunk & F. X. Gibbons (Eds.), Health, coping, and well-being: Perspectives from social comparison theory. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
29. Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., Blanton, H., & Russel, D.W. (1998). Reasoned action and social reaction: Willingness and intention as independent predictors of health risk. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1164-1180.
30. Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., & Boney-McCoy, S. (1995). Prototype perception predicts (lack of) pregnancy prevention. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 85-93.
31. Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., & Lane, D.J. (2003). A social reaction model of adolescent health risk. In J. M. Suls & K. Wallston (Eds.), Social psychological foundations of health and illness (pp. 107-136). Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell.
32. Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., Reimer, R.A., & Pomery, E.A. (2006). Unintentional behavior: A subrational approach to health risk. In D. de Ridder & J. de Wit (Eds.), Self-regulation in health behavior (45-70). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley.
33. Gibbons, F.X., Helweg-Larsen, M., & Gerrard, M. (1995). Prevalence estimates and adolescent risk behavior: Cross-cultural differences in social influence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, 107-121.
34. Greenberg, J., Magder, L., & Aral, S. (1992). Age at first coitus: A marker for risky sexual behavior in women. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 19, 331-334.
35. Harter, S. (1999). The construction of the self: A developmental perspective. New York: Guilford.
36. Harter, S. (2006). The self. In N. Eisenberg, W. Damon, & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology, Vol. 3: Social, emotional, and personality development (6 th ed., pp. 505-570). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.
37. Jessor, S.L., & Jessor, R. (1977). Problem behavior and psychosocial development. New York: Academic Press.
38. Kahn, J.A., Rosenthal, S.L., Succop, P.A., Ho, G.Y.F., & Burk, R.D. (2002). Mediators of the association between age of first sexual intercourse and subsequent human papillomavirus infection. Pediatrics, 109. Retrieved January 24, 2007, from http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/109/1/e5
39. Kellogg, N.D., Hoffman, T.J., & Taylor, E.R. (1999). Early sexual experiences among pregnant and parenting adolescents. Adolescence, 34, 293-302.
40. Kowaleski-Jones, L., & Mott, F.L. (1998). Sex, contraception and childbearing among high-risk youth: Do different factors influence males and females? Family Planning Perspectives, 30, 163-169.
41. Li, X., Stanton, B., Cottrell, L., Burns, J., Pack, R., & Kaljee, L. (2000). Patterns of initiation of sex and drug-related activities among urban low-income African American adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 28, 46-54.
42. Longmore, M.A., Manning, W.D., Giordano, P.C., & Rudolph, J.L. (2004). Self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and adolescents' sexual onset. Social Psychology Quarterly, 67, 279-295.
43. Lynch, C.O. (2001). Risk and protective factors associated with adolescent sexual activity. Adolescent and Family Health, 2, 99-107.
44. McNeely, C., Shew, M.L., Beuhring, T., Sieving, R., Miller, B.C., & Blum, R.W. (2002). Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 256-265.
45. Miller, K.E., Farrell, M.P., Barnes, G.M., Melnick, M.J., & Sabo, D. (2005). Gender/racial differences in jock identity, dating, and adolescent sexual risk. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 34, 123-136.
46. Murry, V.M. (1994). Black adolescent females: A comparison of early versus late coital initiators. Family Relations, 43, 342-348.
47. Muthn, L.K., & Muthn, B.O. (1998-2007). Mplus user's guide (4 th ed). Los Angeles: Author.
48. Paul, C., Fitzjohn, J., Herbison, P., & Dickson, N. (2000). The determinants of sexual intercourse before age 16. Journal of Adolescent Health, 27, 136-147.
49. Pomery, E.A., Gibbons, F.X., Reis-Bergan, M., & Gerrard, M. (2007). From willingness to intention: Experience moderates the shift from reactive to reasoned behavior. Manuscript in preparation.
50. Rivis, A., Sheeran, P., & Armitage, C.J. (2006). Augmenting the theory of planned behaviour with the prototype/willingness model: Predictive validity of actor versus abstainer prototypes for adolescents' health-protective and health-risk intentions. British Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 483-500.
51. Rivis, A., Sheeran, P., & Armitage, C.J. (2007). Explaining adolescents' cigarette smoking: A comparison of four modes of action control and test of the role of self-regulatory mode. Manuscript under review.
52. Roche, K.M., Mekos, D., Alexander, C.S., Astone, N.M., Roche-Bandeen, K., & Ensminger, M.E. (2005). Parenting influences on early sex initiation among adolescents: How neighborhood matters. Journal of Family Issues, 26, 32-54.
53. Rosenberg, M. (1986). Self-concept from middle childhood through adolescence. In J. Suls & A. Greenwald (Eds.), Psychological perspectives on the self (Vol. 3, pp. 107-136). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
54. Rucibwa, N.K., Modeste, N., Montgomery, S., & Fox, C.A. (2003). Exploring family factors and sexual behaviors in a group of Black and Hispanic adolescent males. American Journal of Health Behavior, 27, 63-74.
55. Salazar, L.F., Crosby, R.A., DiClemente, R.J., Wingood, G.M., Lescano, C.M., Brown, L.K., et al. (2005). Self-esteem and theoretical mediators of safer sex among African American female adolescents: Implications for sexual risk reduction interventions. Health Education and Behavior, 32, 413-427.
56. Salazar, L.F., DiClemente, R.J., Wingood, G.M., Crosby, R.A., Harrington, K., Davies, S., et al. (2004). Self-concept and adolescents' refusal of unprotected sex: A test of mediating mechanisms among African American girls. Prevention Science, 5, 137-149.
57. Santelli, J.S., Lowry, R., Brener, N.D., & Robin, L. (2000). The association of sexual behaviors with socioeconomic status, family structure, and race/ethnicity among U.S. adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1582-1588.
58. Shaffer, D., Schwab-Stone, M., Fisher, P., Cohen, P., Piancentini, J., Davies, M., et al. (1993). The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-R): IV. Preparation, field testing, inter-rater reliability and acceptability. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32, 643-650.
59. Simons, R.L., Murry, V., McLoyd, V., Lin, K.H., Cutrona, C., & Conger, R.D. (2002). Discrimination, crime, ethnic identity, and parenting as correlates of depressive symptoms among African American children: A multilevel analysis. Development and Psychopathology, 14, 371-393.
60. Spijkerman, R., van den Eijnden, R.J.J.M., & Engels, R.C.M.E. (2005). Self-comparison processes, prototypes, and smoking onset among early adolescents. Preventive Medicine, 40, 785-794.
61. Stein, K.F., Roeser, R., & Markus, H.R. (1998). Self-schemas and possible selves as predictors and outcomes of risky behaviors in adolescents. Nursing Research, 47, 96-106.
62. Stueve, A., & O'Donnell, L.N. (2005). Early alcohol initiation and subsequent sexual and alcohol risk behaviors among urban youths. American Journal of Public Health, 95, 887-893.
63. Thornton, B., Gibbons, F.X., & Gerrard, M. (2002). Risk perception and prototype perception: Independent processes predicting risk behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 986-999.
64. Townsend, T. (2002). The impact of self-components on attitudes toward sex among African American preadolescent girls: The moderating role of menarche. Sex Roles, 47, 11-20.
65. Twenge, J.M., & Campbell, W.K. (2002). Self-esteem and socioeconomic status: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6, 59-71.
66. Watts, G.F., & Nagy, S. (2000). Sociodemographic factors, attitudes, and expectations toward adolescent coitus. American Journal of Health Behavior, 24, 309-317.
67. Whitbeck, L.B., Yoder, K.A., Hoyt, D.R., & Conger, R.D. (1999). Early adolescent sexual activity: A developmental study. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 934-946.
68. Wilder, E.I., & Watt, T.T. (2002). Risky parental behavior and adolescent sexual activity at first coitus. Milbank Quarterly, 80, 481-524
69. Wills, T.A., Gibbons, F.X., Gerrard, M., & Brody, G.H. (2000). Protection and vulnerability processes relevant for early onset of substance use: A test among African American children. Health Psychology, 19, 253-263.
70. Wills, T.A., & Stoolmiller, M. (2002). The role of self-control in early escalation of substance use: A time-varying analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 986-997.