This paper provides a systematic review of the research
literature examining the relationship between family structure and
adolescent sexual activity. Adolescents from intact family
structures tend to delay sexual initiation until a significantly
older age than their peers from non-intact family backgrounds.
Adolescents from intact families are less likely to have ever had
sexual intercourse, have had on average fewer sexual partners, are
less likely to report a sexually transmitted disease, and are less
likely to have ever experienced a pregnancy or live birth when
compared to their peers from non-intact families. However, the
effects of family structure on all adolescent sexual outcomes other
than sexual debut tend to operate primarily through the delay in
sexual debut experienced by adolescents from intact families. Age,
race, and gender differences are discussed, as well as
methodological challenges associated with the study of family
structure and adolescent sexual outcomes.
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