In contrast, another risk group was characterized by a pattern of preadolescent substance use initiation without co-occurring risky sexual activity or risk for STDs or unintended pregnancy. Youth in this class did not show elevated risks in early childhood, with the exception of inattention and reading problems among boys, but relative to the low-risk children they showed elevations on all (or, for boys, almost all) of the preadolescent risk variables studied (early puberty, deviant peer affiliation, school maladjustment). Again, these findings are descriptive and not causal, and need to be replicated in future research. However, they also suggest that early childhood characteristics and family experiences are associated with vulnerability for early sexual activity in ways that are distinct from the effects of preadolescent rebellion. Future research is needed to replicate and extend these findings, and to explore the developmental mechanisms associated with diverging trajectories among the aggressive children. Such research may foster more nuanced developmental models to guide prevention programming. In addition, future research may examine additional risk factors.
