Troubled Kids Get Sexual Earlier, Study Says

Delinquent, troubled kids have more likelihood to indulge in early sex, a study in Australia said. The research with lead author S. Rachel Skinner of the University of Sydney in Australia was first published in the Pediatrics, online this week.

The long-term research was initiated in 1989 and recorded the behaviors of some 3,000 kids in Australia as they grow up and have reached puberty. It also accounted other factors such as parental age, education attainment and socioeconomic status.

Generally, the study revealed that early sex exposed the kids to graver consequences such as risk of teen pregnancy, partner violence, sexually transmitted infections among others, according to Reuters.

It was specifically pointed out rule-breaking and opposition with rules at home and in the society among the participating 3,000 teenagers are the key determinants linked to early teenage pregnancy and first sexual intercourse.

The Economic Times said that it is mostly young boys who are socially-anxious or withdrawn from his peers that the danger lays. And before reaching 17, 45 percent of the male respondents and 51 percent among the females already have their first sex.

Boys who displayed aggressive behavior as early as five years old also have a higher likelihood to engage in sexual intercourse at an early age.

"Such behavior problems in boys as young as five and in girls as young as 10 can be used to accurately predict early initiation of sex," the researchers announced.

The researchers further classify the behavior patterns as 'externalizing' behaviors and 'internalizing' behaviors.

"Externalising' behaviour problems include aggressive and delinquent actions while 'internalising' behaviours include social anxiety and withdrawal," the researchers said.

Other authors reacted to the study and have emailed their reaction to Reuters.

Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg, assistant professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri once said, "Delinquent behavior stems from a child not understanding or not caring about the consequences that will result."