Peer group and adolescent sexual debut: Gender differences

A transversal descriptive-research was conducted in order to explore gender differences in the role of peer group in sexual initation. A sample of 505 adolescents and youngsters, both sexes, reported about their sexual experience level and other variables related to their peer group. The whole sample was classified in five stages of sexual initation, from non initiated to coital experienced people. Results confirm partially the gender confluence hypothesis in the role of peer group in sexual initation. Males showed stronger positive relation between sexual experience and peer group variables, like number of friends and leadership inside the group, than females did. For males, sexual initation is a positive socialization element within their peers group, while for females sexual initation is just another element of a love relationship.