"The first time" - time and reasons for earlier or later first sexual intercourse

The following article deals with the average age at experiencing first sexual intercourse and the socio-demographic and developmental factors influencing this event. The data are from the second wave of the large scale survey "Growing up in Germany: Everyday Worlds" (AID:A II), which collects retrospective data for 18- to 32-year-olds (n = 9,482) to give information about the timing of their first sexual intercourse. Kaplan-Meier estimates show a median age of 17 years for first sexual intercourse. 63 % of respondents experience their first sexual intercourse between the ages of 15 and 18, 29 % at 19 years and older, only 8 % at 14 years and younger. With regard to the prediction of the transition age, it was shown that steps towards gaining autonomy (first stable partnership, stay abroad), a secondary school leaving certificate and parental separation predict a younger transition age, while a religious affiliation to Islam and the origin from a region with an urbanization tendency predicted a later transition age. Young adults who had a 'face-to-face' interview were more likely to report a later 'first time' compared to those who had a telephone interview.