MINOR DEVIANT BEHAVIORS AND ADOLESCENT SEXUAL-ACTIVITY

Using three waves of longitudinal data from 73 adolescent girls and 79 adolescent boys and their parents, this research investigated the effects of early tobacco and alcohol use on adolescent sexual behaviors 2 years later. The results indicated that when controlling for physical maturation, all of the effects of early tobacco and alcohol use at Year 1 on adolescents' sexual activity during Year 3 were mediated by their effects on adolescents' sexual attitudes and peer associations during Year 2. The findings suggest that the relationship between age-related deviant behaviors and sexual activity is largely due to the effects of early transitions to such behaviors on peer associations.