Original scientific paper
The Effect of Sexual Debut and Health Risk Behaviours on the Baccalaureate Performance of Romanian Adolescents
Csaba Laszlo Degi
; Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Babes-Bolyai University
Cristina Faludi
; Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, Babes-Bolyai University
Abstract
Relationship between sexual and health risk behaviours and school success is rarely investigated in Central-East European countries. The present project studies their impact on the results of the compulsory graduation examination, called Baccalaureate, in Romania. In this follow-up analysis 401 graduate high school students were surveyed. We measured scholastic achievement by means of the indicators of
promotion and performance in standardized testing. The self-administered School Success Profile questionnaire included items on health-related (smoking, binge drinking, and illicit drug use) and sexual debut behaviours. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were conducted. Results show that students from rural and deprived communities, those obtaining failing grades in the last semester and involved in an unstable relationship at the sexual debut had significantly increased odds of failure and lower average grades in the final examination, when adjusted for age, sex, religious practice and health status. Within the framework of health education, school
educators should not neglect the education for the reproductive health, and health education should accompany the adolescent throughout his/her life.
Keywords
emerging adults; school success; sexual debut
Hrčak ID:
141186
URI
Publication date:
29.6.2015.
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