Boys’ Pubertal Timing Measured on the Pubertal Development Scale is Linked to Online Sexual Activities

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We explored the link between boys’ pubertal timing and offline and online romantic and sexual activities using a sample of 142 Swedish early adolescent boys. Boys reported on two aspects of pubertal timing, a stage-normative (measured by five indicators of physical development related to puberty) and a peer-normative, and on offline and online romantic and sexual activities. Both aspects of pubertal timing was related to being romantically and sexually active offline, but only the stage-normative measure was linked to corresponding activities online. Thus, the implications of stage-normative pubertal timing on sexual activities seem to extend to online contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• Pubertal timing
• online sexual activities
• adolescents
• sexual development
• Internet