Meier Ann, Erickson Gina A, McLaughlin Heather
Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.
Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2016 Mar;48(1):25-33. doi: 10.1363/48e8316. Epub 2016 Feb 26.
The physical health detriments associated with adolescent females' having older romantic partners are well documented. However, little is known about the relationship between having an older partner and females' subsequent mental health.
Two waves of data from 1,440 participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed. The sample was restricted to females in grades 7-12 who had not had sex at Wave 1 (1994-1995) and reported at least one romantic relationship by Wave 2 (1996). A lagged dependent variable approach with ordinary least-squares regression measured changes in depression and self-esteem associated with sexual and nonsexual relationships with same-age and older partners. Intimate partner violence was tested as a mediator.
Compared with respondents reporting a nonsexual relationship with a same-age partner, those reporting a nonsexual relationship with an older partner, sex with a same-age partner or sex with an older partner experienced greater increases in depression between surveys; mean predicted depression levels at Wave 2 ranged from 7.7 to 9.0 across these groups (possible range, 0-27). Intimate partner violence explained one-third of the difference between those who had had sex and those who had not had sex with same-age partners. Fewer associations were found for self-esteem, and differences between groups were small.
Health correlates of adolescent sexual behavior go beyond physical health outcomes. Future research should identify mechanisms through which relationships, especially those with older partners, are associated with declines in mental health.
与青少年女性拥有年龄较大的恋爱伴侣相关的身体健康损害已有充分记录。然而，对于拥有年龄较大的伴侣与女性随后的心理健康之间的关系，人们知之甚少。
对青少年健康全国纵向研究中1440名参与者的两波数据进行了分析。样本仅限于7至12年级、在第一波（1994 - 1995年）时未发生性行为且在第二波（1996年）报告至少有一段恋爱关系的女性。采用带有普通最小二乘法回归的滞后因变量方法，测量与同龄和年龄较大伴侣的性和非性关系相关的抑郁和自尊的变化。将亲密伴侣暴力作为一个中介变量进行检验。
与报告与同龄伴侣有非性关系的受访者相比，那些报告与年龄较大的伴侣有非性关系、与同龄伴侣发生性行为或与年龄较大的伴侣发生性行为的受访者在两次调查之间抑郁程度增加得更多；在这些组中，第二波时预测的平均抑郁水平在7.7至9.0之间（可能范围为0 - 27）。亲密伴侣暴力解释了与同龄伴侣发生性行为和未发生性行为的人之间差异的三分之一。自尊方面的关联较少，且组间差异较小。
青少年性行为的健康关联超出了身体健康结果。未来的研究应该确定各种关系，特别是与年龄较大的伴侣的关系，与心理健康下降相关的机制。
