Neighborhood, Family and School Environments: Associations with the Timing of Adolescent First Sex

Mindy E. Scott, Child Trends
Nicole R. Steward-Streng, Child Trends
Megan C. Barry, Child Trends

A major focus of policy and research is on delaying the timing of first sex to help reduce high rates of teenage pregnancy and STDs in the U.S. This study uses data from Rounds 1-8 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97) to examine whether and how different adolescent environments including neighborhood, family, school, and the surrounding physical environment are associated with an earlier timing of first sex. We also examine whether micro-level factors (e.g., parent involvement) are more or less protective against early sexual experience in more disadvantaged neighborhoods. County-level indicators of neighborhood disadvantage (e.g., poverty, unemployment, single motherhood, educational attainment) are used. Preliminary results suggest that many contexts matter for the timing of adolescent sex (e.g., neighborhood, parent involvement, family structure, youth’s perceptions of their school and physical environments, parent background) and that these contexts vary depending on the level of neighborhood disadvantage.