Watching too much television, low self esteem, disappointing grades and poor family relationships are some of the major factors which leads to early teenage sex. A study carried out by Dr. Janet Hyde of the University of Wisconsin and her team, have drawn a conclusion that "If you add up all the factors, you get a much more powerful predictor of who has sex and who doesn't". Hyde and her team studied 273 adolescents ages 13 to 15 -- 146 girls and 127 boys -- who took part in the 'Wisconsin Study of Families and Work.'

Hyde said "Communications theorists say that as we watch a lot of material on TV, we come to believe that it is reality. In this case, kids who watch a lot of TV come to believe that all the kids really are having sex, so they're going to do it too or they are going to be the odd one out. Kids who engage in early sexual activity are much less likely to use any kind of protection, which increases their risk for teen pregnancy and acquiring sexually transmitted diseases".

Out of the group, 15 percent had early sex. Girls who had been sexually active early, had lower self-esteem, poor relationships with their parents, lived with either a single mother or a step-parent, showed signs of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), underachieved at school and watched more television. Boys who had early sex were further into puberty, had lower self-esteem, showed signs of ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), had poor relationships with their parents and also watched more television than other boys.

The researchers recommend that all of the risk factors for early teen sex be addressed and that parents participate in the process, as well as teachers and counselors. They also called for comprehensive sex education programs, so teens can protect themselves if they have sex. The study was published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.