Do Perceptions of Friends' Behaviors Affect Age at First Sex? Evidence From Cebu, Philippines

The authors designed the current study to explore the effect of perceptions of friends' romantic and physical behaviors on the sexual behavior of adolescents, and the relative influence of friends' sexual behaviors and maternal attitudes on age at first sex.

Longitudinal data collected from 1,943 adolescents who had never had sex at baseline in Cebu, Philippines, were used. Logistic regression assessed whether the youths' perceptions of friends' sexual behaviors, measured at ages 14 and 16, were associated with age at sexual debut. Survival analysis assessed the hazard of having first intercourse by ages 17 to 19. Sociodemographics, mothers'/caretakers' disapproval of premarital sex, living with a caretaker, and the adolescents' own behaviors at baseline were adjusted for in the final models.

Boys and girls, who at ages 14 and 16, perceived that their friends had ever had boyfriends/girlfriends, dated, held hands, kissed, petted or had sex were significantly more likely to have experienced that behavior by ages 17 to 19, the study found. After adjusting for factors including mothers'/caretakers' disapproval of premarital sex, the hazard of earlier sexual debut increased by 1.15 (p=0.02) among boys and 1.19 (p"These results demonstrate the important role of peers in light of competing influences in adolescents' lives," the researchers concluded. "They provide support for asking at early ages what romantic and physical behaviors adolescents think their friends have experienced. Interventions can use such information to better prepare adolescents to make responsible and informed decisions about sexuality."

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