Sexuality-Related Outcomes of Adolescent Children of Teen Mothers

ABSTRACT

The relationship between being an adolescent child of a teen mother and sexuality-related outcomes was investigated using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Adolescents whose mothers were teenagers at first birth were more likely to have had sex by age 16 than other adolescents. Gender moderated this effect, as this relationship was stronger for sons than for daughters. In addition, children of mothers with a lower level of education, adolescents who lived in poverty, and adolescents who resided with less than two biological parents at the start of the study were more likely to have had sex.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• sexuality
• teen mothers

Notes

∗p < .05. ∗∗p < .01.

∗Male = 1; Female = 2.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elaine M. Eshbaugh

Elaine M. Eshbaugh, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Family Studies, University of Northern Iowa.