title: In Search of Emerging Same-Sex Sexuality: Romantic Attractions at Age 13 Years.
abstract: Sex-typed behavior in childhood is significantly related to sexual orientation in adulthood. In addition, same-sex attractions in early adolescence are more non-exclusive than in adulthood and can differ from later same-sex orientations. However, little research has focused on romantic attractions as they emerge during early adolescence. Drawing a sample from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (197 girls, 204 boys), the current study examined whether same-sex romantic attractions at age 13 years were exclusive, and whether they were predicted by sex-typed behavior at age 3.5 years. No young adolescents in this sample reported exclusive same-sex attractions, and increased same-sex attractions were not significantly related to reduced other-sex sexualities. Childhood sex-typed behavior did not significantly predict early same-sex attractions, suggesting that early same-sex attractions differ from later same-sex orientations. The current study highlights the importance of studying the development of sexuality beginning prior to adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RQ, UK. gl369@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RQ, UK.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hines
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D046468:Sexual Development; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: ALSPAC; Development; Early adolescence; Sex-typed behavior; Sexual orientation; Sexuality