Today's Teens 'Less Likely' To Date, Have Sex, Move Out

Internet, parents could be to blame


Article heading image for Today's Teens 'Less Likely' To Date, Have Sex, Move Out

Australian experts are backing US research which states that today's 18-year-olds are similar to the 15-year-olds of years gone by.

The American study compared more than eight million teens between 1976 and 2016, uncovering some worrying trends about teenagers struggling to mature into functional adults as quickly as previous generations.

Modern teenagers are less likely to date, have a job, leave the house without their parents, drive or have sex, according to the research published in Child Development.

There are concerns the invasive nature of the digital age and overprotective parents could be a factor in the "considerable" behavioural changes.

In 1976 more than 85 per cent of 17 and 18-year-olds had dated; that dropped to under 60 per cent by 2014.

“Having sex went from being the majority experience for high school students to the minority experience,” research author Professor Jean Twenge told News Corp.

Australian psychologists say the findings certainly translate to our country as well.

18 September 2017




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