Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T18:58:01.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An ‘epidemic’ model of adolescent sexual intercourse: applications to national survey data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

David C. Rowe  and
Joseph L. Rodgers
David C. Rowe
Affiliation:
University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
Joseph L. Rodgers
Affiliation:
University of Oklahoma, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

This paper applies models of the onset of adolescent sexual intercourse using national data from Denmark and the USA. The model gave excellent fits to data on Danish Whites and a good fit to American Whites, but the model-fits for American Blacks and Hispanics were not as good. The weakness of the latter model fits may reflect either real processes that the model does not capture or problems in the reliability of adolescent sexuality data.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , April 1991 , pp. 211 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bailey, N. T. J. (1975) The Mathematical Theory of Infectious Diseases. Hafner Press, New York.Google Scholar
Bentler, P. M. & Bonett, D. G. (1980) Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychol. Bull. 88, 588.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodd, S. C. (1955) Diffusion is predictable: testing probability models for laws of interaction. Am. sociol. Rev. 20, 392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furstenberg, F. F.. Morgan, S. P., Moore, K. A. & Peterson, J. L. (1987) Race differences in the timing of adolescent intercourse. Am. sociol. Rev. 52, 511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harlan, W. R., Harlan, E. A. & Grillo, G. P. (1980) Secondary sex characteristics of girls 12 to 17 years of age: the U.S. Health Examination Survey. J. Pediat. 96, 1074.Google ScholarPubMed
James, L. R., Mulaik, S. A. & Brett, J. M. (1982). Causal Analysis: Assumptions, Models, and Data. Sage, Beverly Hills.Google Scholar
Joreskog, K. G. & Sorbom, D. (1979) Advances in Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Models. Abt Books, Cambridge, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Reynolds, H. T. (1977). Analyses of Nominal Data. Sage, Beverly Hills.Google Scholar
Rodgers, J. L., Billy, J. O. G. & Udry, J. R. (1982) The rescission of behaviors: inconsistent responses in adolescent sexuality data. Social Sci. Res. 11, 280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowe, D. C. & Rodgers, J. L. (1990) Adolescent smoking and drinking: are they ‘epidemics’?. J. Stud. Alcohol, in press.Google Scholar
Rowe, D. C., Rodgers, J. L. & Meseck-Bushey, S. (1989) An ‘epidemic’ model of sexual intercourse prevalences for black and white adolescents. Social Biol. 36, 127.Google ScholarPubMed
Taranger, J. (1983) Secular changes in sexual maturation. Acta Med. Auxol. 15, 137.Google Scholar
Udry, J. R. (1988) Biological predispositions and social control in adolescent sexual behavior. Am. sociol. Rev. 53, 709.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Udry, J. R. & Billy, J. O. G. (1987) Initiation of coitus in early adolescence. Am. sociol. Rev. 52, 841.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wielandt, H. & Boldsen, J. (1989) Age at first intercourse. J. biosoc. Sci. 21, 169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed