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<p>First sexual experiences represent a central aspect of adolescents’ lives and have been suggested to affect their personal development in various ways. However, whether sexual debut plays a role in the development of self-esteem is yet unknown. The present study investigated whether first sexual intercourse was associated with subsequent changes in self-esteem. Data from a large, nationwide randomly sampled longitudinal study of adolescents and emerging adults in Germany (<i>N</i> = 1678, 53% female) of whom 39% experienced sexual debut during the study period were used. Fixed-effects regression models were applied to estimate the effect of sexual debut on self-esteem. Findings indicated a significant positive effect of sexual debut on subsequent self-esteem. This effect was not moderated by age at sexual debut or gender. Together, the results emphasize the developmental significance of sexual experiences for personal growth in adolescents and emerging adults.</p>

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Longitudinal Links Between Sexual Debut and Self-Esteem Development in German Adolescents and Young Adults

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年4月7日

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  • Claudia Schmiedeberg,
  • Tita Gonzalez Avilés

摘要

First sexual experiences represent a central aspect of adolescents’ lives and have been suggested to affect their personal development in various ways. However, whether sexual debut plays a role in the development of self-esteem is yet unknown. The present study investigated whether first sexual intercourse was associated with subsequent changes in self-esteem. Data from a large, nationwide randomly sampled longitudinal study of adolescents and emerging adults in Germany (N = 1678, 53% female) of whom 39% experienced sexual debut during the study period were used. Fixed-effects regression models were applied to estimate the effect of sexual debut on self-esteem. Findings indicated a significant positive effect of sexual debut on subsequent self-esteem. This effect was not moderated by age at sexual debut or gender. Together, the results emphasize the developmental significance of sexual experiences for personal growth in adolescents and emerging adults.