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Predictors of Sexual Debut

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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

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Synonyms

First intercourse; Sexual initiation; Sexual onset

Definition

The age at which an individual initiates vaginal sexual intercourse.

Introduction

Human behaviors are regarded as either adaptive or maladaptive depending on the degree to which they promote or undermine health. Early sexual debut, typically defined as the initiation of vaginal intercourse before the age of 14, is associated with increased likelihood of multiple and risky sexual partners, as well as long-term negative health consequences like unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (Sandfort et al. 2008). Given the costs associated with these outcomes, most research has viewed early sexual debut as a problem behavior that should be prevented. This view, however, fails to account for evolutionary drives, such as reproductive success, that may be especially useful in understanding predictors of sexual debut in adolescents. Adolescent behaviors that are viewed as “risky” from a developmental...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

    Shaina Trevino & Atika Khurana

Authors
  1. Shaina Trevino
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  2. Atika Khurana
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Atika Khurana .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of South Carolina - Beaufort, Bluffton, SC, USA

    Carey Fitzgerald

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Trevino, S., Khurana, A. (2018). Predictors of Sexual Debut. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2482-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2482-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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