Sexarche and Its Association to Future Contraceptive Use

This study examined the association of sexarche with perceived descriptive norms for condom use, and willingness to have sex without the use of condoms or dental dams. Data on sexarche, perceived descriptive norms for condom use, and willingness to have sex without contraceptives were assessed at baseline among 402 participants from a study examining an intervention to reduce sexual risk taking (Lewis et al., 2018). Controlling for birth sex and current age, linear regressions were used to analyze the association among sexarche, perceived descriptive norms, and willingness to have sex without the use of condoms, or dental dams. The age of oral sexarche was not associated with descriptive norms for using condoms or dental damns during oral sex, t = 0.72, p = .47, β = - .04. However, the younger people were at oral sexarche, the more willing they were currently to have oral sex without a condom or dental dam, t = -2.94, p < .01, β = - .13. Penile-vaginal sexarche is associated with descriptive norms for using condoms, t = -2.56, p < .05, β = - .13, such that the younger people were penile-vaginal sexarche, the more they perceive others to use condoms during sex. The younger people were at penile-vaginal sexarche, the more willing they were to not use a condom, t = -2.51, p < .05, β = - .12. This study is useful in understanding sexarche as a factor in sexual risk-taking cognitions and suggests interventions to reduce risky cognitions before sexarche.