Sexual Trajectories During Adolescence and Adjustment in Emerging Adulthood
Abstract
This study examined how adolescents’ sexual trajectories are associated with achievement of emerging adulthood developmental tasks (educational attainment, full-time employment, romantic involvement) and psychosocial outcomes (problems with alcohol, depression, self-esteem). Trajectories (identified in a previous report by Rossi, Poulin, & Boislard) based on annual number of sexual partners from ages 16 to 22 (i.e., abstainers, low-increasing, medium-increasing, multiple partners’ trajectories) were compared on outcomes measured at age 22. Results showed that youths in the two less sexually active trajectories achieved higher levels of education than those in the two other trajectories, and females (but not males) in the multiple partners’ group reported more problems with alcohol than all other participants. The absence of significant differences in depression and self-esteem suggests that the impact of adolescent sexual trajectories on psychological outcomes might take longer to emerge.
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Open practices
The raw data, analysis code, and materials used in this study are not openly available but are available upon request to the corresponding author. The data collection and analysis were not preregistered.
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Biographies
Erika Rossi, BA, is a PhD candidate at Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.
François Poulin, PhD, is a professor and researcher at Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.
Marie-Aude Boislard, PhD, is a professor and researcher, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.
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Article first published online: December 12, 2019
Issue published: August 2021
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Open practices
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Erika Rossi and François Poulin contributed to conception, design, and acquisition. Erika Rossi drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to analysis and interpretation, critically revised the manuscript, gave final approval, and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of work ensuring integrity and accuracy.
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