Monthly measures of salivary testosterone predict sexual activity in adolescent males.
Strong relationships between one-time serum testosterone (T) measures and sexual activity have been demonstrated in cross-sectional analyses of adolescent males. However, a subsequent longitudinal study of a separate adolescent sample, using semiannual plasma measures, failed to replicate cross-sectional findings. The present study reexamined the relationship between T and sexual activity using more frequently collected measures of salivary T and behavior. Saliva samples and weekly behavior checklists were collected over a 2-year period from the same panel sample of males on which semiannual analyses were based. Saliva samples representing measures approximately every fourth week of study participation were selected for T assay. The association between these monthly salivary T measures and weekly reports of incidents of sexual activity was assessed with repeated measures analyses. Higher levels of salivary T were significantly associated with an increasing hazard of coital initiation, and with more frequent coital and noncoital activity. Within-individual change analyses demonstrated that increases in salivary T were associated with increased sexual activity. Comparisons of models that varied specimen type, schedule of T measurement, and type of behavioral report indicated that all three factors contribute to the varying magnitude of hormone/behavior relationships that are demonstrated. These findings are consistent with a biosocial model of adolescent sexual development that pubertal changes in T are a causal factor in the timing of sexual initiation and the frequency of activity during adolescence.
Halpern
C T
CT
Carolina Population Center/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27516-3997, USA.
Udry
J R
JR
Suchindran
C
C
D000293:Adolescent / Q000502:physiology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
D013739:Testosterone