title: The relationship between early development and psychosexual behaviors in adolescent females.
abstract: The relationship between early sexual maturation and the psychosexual behaviors of dating and sexual intercourse was investigated using a national sample of adolescent females aged 15 to 19. Among both black and nonblack subjects, early-maturing girls were more likely to have experienced earlier dating and coital onset than were their later-maturing peers. Blacks experienced menarche and first intercourse at earlier ages, yet dating onset at later ages. Early menarche was also associated with marriage at an early age for nonblacks, but not for blacks. These racial differences were explained in terms of diverse socialization patterns or cultural expectations. For both blacks and nonblacks, those with earlier coital experience were found to have had menarche and dating onset at earlier ages.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602.
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Phinney
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cundick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003075:Coitus; D003380:Courtship; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008572:Menarche; D010379:Peer Group; D011606:Psychosexual Development; D012725:Sexual Behavior