Effect of father figure on frequency and recency of sexual activity: Gender differences in low-income African American adolescents

Using data from the Mobile Youth Survey (MYS), a multiple cohort longitudinal study of adolescent risk conducted in neighborhoods (2000 census median poverty, 57.2%). MYS collected data annually from 7500 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 with 98.7% being African-American. The analyses included youth who participated in at least two waves: one under 12 and the second at 12 or later. Sexual activity was assessed as the frequency and recency of sexual intercourse. Two models were created; model 1 included father presence/absence, gender, and age as independent variables; model 2 included biological vs. non-biological father, gender, and age as independent variables. Both models estimated all interaction terms.

Model 1 yielded statistically significant results suggesting respondents' sexual activity increases as a linear function of age, with a steeper slope for those without a father figure during early adolescence than for those with one. Model 2 yielded statistically significant results suggesting sexual activity for females without a biological father during early adolescence increases at a steeper rate through later adolescence than for females with a biological father during early adolescence; in comparison, sexual behavior of males was not correlated with the biological variable.

Results are congruent with previous studies showing that the father-child relationship affects adolescent sexual activity. However, the longitudinal nature of the data, and the significant interaction terms and lack of main effect for father figure, suggest father-child relationships may be more complex than previously considered.