title: Body evaluation and coital onset: a population-based longitudinal study.
abstract: This study examined the temporal relationship between body evaluation and coital onset. In a population-based longitudinal study, 1449 Norwegian girls and boys between 12 and 15 years of age were followed at 4 waves over a span of 13 years. Body evaluation was used in order to predict coital onset besides romantic appeal and psychological problems. For girls early in adolescence, body evaluation did not influence the probability of coital onset during the first 2-year period. In the subsequent 5-year period, body dissatisfaction increased the probability for coital onset when romantic appeal was held constant. Body evaluation did not influence the odds of coital onset among boys. The findings imply that the pattern of association between body evaluation and coital onset differs according to the timing of coital onset for girls. Future research needs to distinguish body image from romantic appeal in relation to first time sexual experiences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. i.l.kvalem@psykologi.uio.no
authors.forename: Ingela Lundin
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Kvalem
authors.forename: Tilmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: von Soest
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Træen
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Singsaas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image; D002648:Child; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011606:Psychosexual Development / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D046468:Sexual Development / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires