Abstract
During adolescence, emerging sexual behavior is a common phenomenon that creates an opportunity for risk to health and wellbeing. Unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, early initiation, and substance use during sexual activity are some examples that cause public health concern. While adolescents account for only 25% of the country’s sexually active population, they create half of all newly transmitted sexually diseases, 14% of new HIV cases, and 12% of pregnancies annually (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Therefore, examining predictor variables of risky sexual behavior in adolescence is important to better prevent new \r cases of STD’s, HIV, unwanted pregnancies, as well as improve adolescents’ emotional and mental health. The current study analyzed archival data from an 8-year longitudinal study entitled the Springfield Child Development Project (SDCP), which was begun in 1994 (Watson et al., 2004). The current study utilized regression analyses to analyze children’s sensation seeking, aggression, and self-worth at Time 1 (when the children were between 7 and 13 years of age) in relation to the outcome of risky sexual behaviors at Time 4, six years later (when the adolescents were between 12 and 19 years of age). The study also analyzed mothers’ reports of family environment at Time 4 in relation to these risk outcomes. Results indicated that childhood sensation seeking was a significant predictor of all risk behavior in adolescence, even after controlling for sex, ethnicity, mother’s education and family environment. Although having a positive family environment was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of risk in adolescence, it did not decrease the significant associations between childhood sensation seeking and risky sex or substance use. Childhood sensation seeking, lower socioeconomic status and a negative family environment were all significantly positively associated with adolescent risky sexual activities and substance use. These results suggest the stability of temperament style throughout development and provide insight into specific childhood risk factors that could be targeted early in order to prevent later risk.