Adolescent risk perception and parent-child relationship qualities in relation to early sexual debut and sexual risk behavior among adolescents from St. Maarten and the Netherlands

Abstract

Adolescents are at high risk for negative health consequences associated with early sexual debut and sexual risk behavior. Differences in these behaviors across countries have been found. In this 2-wave longitudinal cross-national study, 1st and 3rd year high school students from the Netherlands and St. Maarten filled in a digital questionnaire on these risk behaviors and possible influential factors (risk perception, parental connectedness, and parental monitoring). Adolescents from St. Maarten were more likely to have an early sexual debut and to be involved in sexual risk behavior compared to Dutch youth. Risk perception was concurrently negatively related to sexual risk behavior in both countries, and negatively related to early sexual debut for adolescents from the Netherlands. No relations were found with both parenting qualities and no longitudinal effects were found. Finally, none of the factors accounted for the difference in early sexual debut and sexual risk behavior between the Netherlands and St. Maarten. The discussion includes other potential findings that could explain this contradiction.