Impact of Running Away on Girls' Sexual Onset

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to longitudinally examine the impact of running away on sexual onset, and to determine the 12-month prevalence of sexual onset among runaway females. The sample consists of adolescent females from Waves 1 and 2 of the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N=4,564; age range=11-18 years). Voluntary or involuntary sexual onset at Wave 1 results in exclusion from the analysis. A logistic regression model is fit, which examines sociodemographic characteristics, protective factors (e.g., parental and academic bonds), and running away and other risk behaviors on sexual onset. Our study confirms that more than one out of thee females becomes sexually active within 12 months of running away. Only 17% of females who never report a runaway episode experience sexual onset. School bonds, dating and romance, alcohol use, delinquency, and runaway behavior have main effects in the longitudinal analysis. Runaways are 1.7 times more likely to report sexual onset. This study applies the risk amplification model to runaways in the general population. Running away is a turning point in the developmental trajectory, and puts girls at risk of sexual onset a year later compared to their nonrunaway counterparts. A multipronged approach is needed to address the sexual risk characteristics of girls who return home.