Sources of Information on Sex and Antecedents of Early Sexual Initiation Among Urban Latino Youth

The study examined the relationship between young adolescents' sources of information on sex and precursors to sexual activity. Surveys were conducted with 3,940 Latino sixth grade students. According to results, girls who received information from their parents were less likely to engage in sex precursors. For boys, getting information from other adults was negatively associated with engagement in sexual precursors. Getting information from peers was associated with a higher likelihood to engage in sexual precursors for both genders. This study highlights the importance of parentchild communication about sex and physical development, particularly for girls.