title: Effects of self-esteem and academic performance on adolescent decision-making: an examination of early sexual intercourse and illegal substance use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether higher self-esteem and higher academic performance among youth reduce the likelihood of early sexual intercourse and illegal substance use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from waves I-III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study used multivariate logistic regression, stratified by gender and controlling for known covariates, to examine relationships between self-esteem and academic performance and youth decision-making, specifically self-reported initiation of sexual intercourse and use of illegal substances. Self-esteem was constructed as an ascending scale of 10 Likert-scaled survey items. Academic performance was assessed using the most recent grades from English, Math, Science, and History.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among virginal adolescents, higher self-esteem at baseline had no effect on sexual debut 1 year later. However, higher self-esteem at baseline among females corresponded with a significantly lower likelihood of illegal substance use 1 year later (OR, .96; p = .003). In terms of academic performance at baseline, girls averaging "A" grades as compared with girls averaging "C" grades or lower were significantly less likely to initiate sexual intercourse 1 year later (OR, .52; p = .004). Additionally among girls, being an "A" student or a "B" student was associated with lower odds of illegal substance use, compared with students who averaged "C" grades or lower (p < .01). Among young boys, self-esteem and academic performance were not significantly predictive of illegal substance use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that bolstering self-esteem and improving academic performance among young girls may have specific benefits in sexual decision-making and substance-related risk-taking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7411, USA. stephanie_wheeler@unc.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012649:Self Concept; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000523:psychology*; D012933:Social Identification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States