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Developmental Trends in Sexual Attraction Among Puerto Rican Early Adolescents in Two Contexts
Author(s) -
Elkington Katherine S.,
Wainberg Milton L.,
RamosOlazagasti Maria,
Chen Chen,
Ortin Ana,
Canino Glorisa J.,
Bird Hector R.,
Duarte Cristiane S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13286
Subject(s) - psychology , context (archaeology) , puerto rican , developmental psychology , attraction , sexual orientation , sexual behavior , longitudinal study , demography , social psychology , medicine , geography , linguistics , philosophy , sociology , anthropology , archaeology , pathology
Sexual attraction (SA), the earliest stage of sexual orientation, is scarcely studied. This prospective study examined, over 3 years, prevalence, changes in SA , and the role of context, among 946 Puerto Rican youth, aged 11–13 years at initial assessment in the South Bronx (SBx), New York City, and Puerto Rico (PR). Overall, 98.1% of boys and 95.3% of girls reported opposite‐sex only SA at some point, whereas 13.8% of girls and 12.0% of boys reported any‐same SA. Opposite‐sex only SA increased over time, whereas other SAs decreased except for any same‐sex SA among SBx girls. Girls in the SBx and younger youth in PR reported more any same‐sex SA. Context and culture may play a role in the developmental trajectories of adolescents’ SA.