Patterns of adolescent sexual behavior predicting young adult sexually transmitted infections: a latent class analysis approach

Abstract

Adolescent sexual behavior is multidimensional, yet most studies of the topic use variable-oriented methods that reduce behaviors to a single dimension. In this study, we used a person-oriented approach to model adolescent sexual behavior comprehensively, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. We identified five latent classes of adolescent sexual behavior: Abstinent (39%), Oral Sex (10%), Low-Risk (25%), Multi-Partner Normative (12%), and Multi-Partner Early (13%). Membership in riskier classes of sexual behavior was predicted by substance use and depressive symptoms. Class membership was also associated with young adult STI outcomes although these associations differed by gender. Male adolescents' STI rates increased with membership in classes with more risky behaviors whereas females' rates were consistent among all sexually active classes. These findings demonstrate the advantages of examining adolescent sexuality in a way that emphasizes its complexity.

Figure 1

Estimated probability of reporting an STI in the past year at Wave 4 (age 28 to 30), conditional on class membership at Wave 2 (age 16-18). Dotted lines represent the overall rate of STIs for male and female young adults. Both gender and class membership were significant predictors of STI (p < .001).