Pires Raquel, Araújo-Pedrosa Anabela, Pereira Joana, Canavarro Maria Cristina
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal,
J Prim Prev. 2014 Aug;35(4):239-54. doi: 10.1007/s10935-014-0344-5.
Age at first sexual intercourse (AFSI) is the initial factor related to adolescents' sexual life that may increase the risk of adolescent pregnancy. We explored the biological, social, cultural, and political predictors of AFSI addressing several gaps that prevent us from generalizing the results of past research to adolescent pregnancy prevention. We also explored the moderating effects of cultural variables on the links between social and political predictors and AFSI. Our sample consisted of 889 Portuguese female adolescents aged 12-19. Earlier age at menarche, non-intact family structure, maternal history of adolescent pregnancy, lower maternal emotional warmth, absence of religious involvement, and living in Portugal's mainland and in a legal context penalizing abortion predicted earlier AFSI. School attendance predicted earlier AFSI among adolescents of European ethnic origin; adolescents of non-European ethnic origin presented the opposite, but non-significant, pattern. These findings suggest that, in addition to isolated characteristics, factors from different ecological contexts should be considered when planning interventions designed to foster healthy and informed transitions to sexual initiation and prevent the related risks of unwanted outcomes. We discuss implications for future research and practice.
首次性行为的年龄（AFSI）是与青少年性生活相关的初始因素，可能会增加青少年怀孕的风险。我们探讨了AFSI的生物学、社会、文化和政治预测因素，填补了一些空白，这些空白阻碍了我们将过去的研究结果推广到青少年怀孕预防中。我们还探讨了文化变量对社会和政治预测因素与AFSI之间联系的调节作用。我们的样本包括889名年龄在12至19岁之间的葡萄牙女性青少年。初潮年龄较早、家庭结构不完整、母亲有青少年怀孕史、母亲情感温暖度较低、缺乏宗教参与以及生活在葡萄牙大陆且处于惩罚堕胎的法律环境中，这些因素都预示着AFSI较早。上学情况预示着欧洲族裔青少年的AFSI较早；非欧洲族裔青少年则呈现相反但不显著的模式。这些发现表明，除了个体特征外，在规划旨在促进健康且明智地过渡到性开始并预防相关不良后果风险的干预措施时，应考虑来自不同生态背景的因素。我们讨论了对未来研究和实践的启示。
