Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Understanding of preadolescent sexuality is limited. To help fill this gap, we calculated frequencies, percentages, and confidence intervals for 1,096 preadolescents’ reports of sexual thoughts, intentions, and sexual behavior. Cochran-Armitage trend tests accounted for age effects. Findings show that 9-year-olds are readying for sexual activity, with sexual readiness increasing between ages of 9 and 12. Sexual thoughts increased with age ( p < .001): 46% of 9-year-olds and 70% of 12-year-olds were ready to learn about sex, and 14% of 9-year-olds and 41% of 12-year-olds thought about having sex. Few 9-year-olds anticipated sexual debut, but this increased with age ( p < .05): 25% of 12-year-olds were ready for sex, and 20% anticipated initiating sex within a year. Our results indicate that preadolescents are initiating dating relationships and anticipating intercourse, and some have engaged in risk behaviors. Thus preadolescence is a critical time to implement prevention programs.
Miller et al. (Tue,) studied this question.