Girls with Older Partners More Likely to Get STDs

Teen girls who date males three or more years older are more likely to acquire a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and to get pregnant out of wedlock, according to a new study from Child Trends, a nonprofit research center.

Researchers led by Dr. Suzanne Ryan found that for boys, the age of their partners was not as significant as whether they had sex before age 16. Having sex before age 16 doubled the risk of an STD for both sexes. Very few teens have sex before age 16 - only 10 percent of girls and 2 percent of boys.

The study also found that the more sexual partners a teen has before adulthood, the more likely he or she will acquire an STD or become an unmarried parent.

"I think that parents need to be very aware of the partners that their teens are dating," said Dr. Ryan, lead author of the study published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. "What we found is that for girls, a combination of factors - having sex before their 16th birthday and having a sex partner at least three years older than them - is especially risky in relation to getting sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] in young adulthood."

Stepfathers Criticize, Fight with Stepteens More Than Bio-Dads

Stepfathers are more likely to be critical and to fight with their stepchildren than biological fathers, according to a new study from the University of London.

British researchers interviewed 435 biological dads and stepfathers of children ages 11 to 18. Stepdads reported more problems with their children, such as hyperactivity and misconduct, and were less likely to praise them.

Erin Flouri, lead author of the study, said the researchers are not sure if the stepteens actually behave worse with their stepfathers or if the stepfathers were simply more critical of their behavior.

Dr. Alan Kazdin, director of the Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic at Yale University, said that stepparent relationships are "riddled with conflict" and have a different dynamic from other families. He said by recognizing and talking through tension points before they become problematic, adults can learn to cope successfully with the stresses of being a stepparent.