title: Identifying teens at risk: developmental pathways of online and offline sexual risk behavior.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were (1) to investigate the prevalence and development of both online (OnSRB) and offline sexual risk behavior (OffSRB) in adolescence, (2) to establish whether OnSRBs and OffSRBs are related, and (3) to identify risk factors that determine problematic pathways of OnSRB and OffSRB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 4-wave longitudinal study with 1762 Dutch adolescents aged 12 to 18 was conducted (mean age, T1 = 14.52, 49% girls). By using group-based modeling, developmental pathways for OnSRB and OffSRB were identified and the relationship between both behaviors over time was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substantial intraindividual differences in the development of OnSRB and OffSRB were found. The analysis revealed 3 developmental pathways of OnSRB: no risk (70.2%), moderate risk (23.7%), and high risk (6.1%). For OffSRB, we identified a no risk (90.6%) and an increasing pathway (9.4%). OnSRBs and OffSRBs were related and had common predictors (ie, sensation seeking, low educational level, gender).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a minority of adolescents shows sustained high OnSRB. This group is likely to consist of low-educated, high-sensation-seeking adolescents who spend more time communicating on the Internet and come from less cohesive families. These same adolescents are also more likely to engage in OffSRB. Preventions should focus on these adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam, Netherlands. s.e.baumgartner@uva.nl
authors.forename: Susanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Sindy R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Sumter
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: Patti M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Valkenburg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*