Adolescent Couples' Sexual Activity and Pre-Romantic Social Ties to Partners

Christine E. Kaestle, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Carolyn Tucker Halpern, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Objectives: To explore the influence of pre-romantic social ties on sexual risk behaviors. Methods: Using data from 6,972 adolescents in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined associations between pre-romantic social ties between partners (i.e., friends before the romance began, acquaintances but not friends, or never met before) and several sexual risk behaviors using logistic regression analyses. Results: The odds of having intercourse were significantly lower for respondents with romantic partners who were already their friends (OR = 0.69). Adolescents who did not know their partner before their romantic involvement had significantly lower odds of discussing contraception or STIs (OR = 0.56) and of ever using a condom with that partner (OR = 0.64), and higher odds of a pregnancy (1.74). Respondent’s gender was a significant effect-measure modifier for some outcomes. Conclusions: Being friends or acquaintances before being romantic partners is associated with safer sexual behavior.