Table 1.
Characteristics of the full sample and those who had and never had sex
| Variables | Full sample (n = 4,769) |
Ever had sex (n = 863) |
Test of signif T-test or OR (95% CI) |
| Demographic Variables | |||
| Mean agea | 20.35(SD = 1.49) | 20.99(SD = 1.40) | 14.10d |
| Nationality Han (vs. minority) | 4,217 (88.43) | 779 (90.27) | 0.79(0.62–1.01) |
| Home location | |||
| Eastern coastal regions | 561 (11.76) | 107 (12.40) | 1.00(reference) |
| Central areas | 3,548 (74.40) | 662 (76.71) | 0.97(0.78–1.22) |
| Western areas | 660 (13.8) | 94 (10.89) | 0.71(0.52–0.95)c |
| Parents' economic status | |||
| Poor | 2,142 (44.92) | 212 (24.57) | 1.00(reference) |
| Average | 2,158 (45.25) | 455 (52.72) | 2.43(2.04–2.90)d |
| Rich | 469 (9.83) | 196 (22.71) | 6.54(5.18–8.24)d |
| Family, peer, and work variables | |||
| Parents' disciplinary style | |||
| Strict | 795 (16.67) | 195 (22.60) | 1.00(reference) |
| Average | 2,327 (48.79) | 434 (50.29) | 0.71(0.58–0.86)d |
| Relaxed | 1,647 (34.54) | 234 (27.11) | 0.51(0.41–0.63)d |
| Only one child(yes)b | 1,954(40.97) | 468(54.23) | 1.93(1.66–2.24)d |
| Parents divorced(yes)b | 264(5.54) | 86(9.97) | 2.32(1.77–3.03)d |
| Parents disapproving of premarital sex (yes)b | 2,215 (46.45) | 416 (48.20) | 1.09(0.94–1.26) |
| Middle school close classmates and friends disapproving of premarital sex (yes)b | 2,796(58.63) | 472(54.69) | 0.82(0.71–0.95)c |
| Middle school close friends falling in love (yes)b | 1,338(28.06) | 366(42.41) | 2.22(1.91–2.59)d |
| Current close friends living with boyfriend (yes)b | 397 (8.32) | 224 (25.96) | 7.56(6.10–9.38)d |
| Work at place of entertainment (yes)b | 308 (6.46) | 138 (15.99) | 4.18(3.30–5.31)d |
| Current student variables | |||
| Major | |||
| Literature and history | 1,862 (39.04) | 323 (37.43) | 1.00(reference) |
| Science and technology | 1,167 (24.47) | 157 (18.19) | 0.74(0.60–0.91)d |
| Medical science | 985 (20.65) | 118 (13.67) | 0.65(0.52–0.81)d |
| Art | 755 (15.83) | 265 (30.71) | 2.58(2.13–3.12)d |
| Grade | |||
| Freshman | 1,373 (28.79) | 103 (11.94) | 1.00(reference) |
| Sophomore | 1,195 (25.06) | 157 (18.19) | 1.87(1.44–2.42)d |
| Junior | 1,309 (27.45) | 361 (41.83) | 4.70(3.71–5.94)d |
| Senior | 892 (18.70) | 242 (28.04) | 4.59(3.58–5.89)d |
| Academic performance | |||
| Excellent | 1,243 (26.06) | 210 (24.33) | 1.00(reference) |
| Medium | 3,018 (63.28) | 546 (63.27) | 1.09(0.91–1.29) |
| Poor | 508 (10.65) | 107 (12.40) | 1.31(1.01–1.70)c |
| Feelings in college | |||
| Generally happy(yes)b | 1,324(27.76) | 236(27.35) | 0.98(0.83–1.15) |
| Average or ordinary(yes)b | 1,523(31.94) | 264(30.59) | 0.93(0.79–1.09) |
| Confused(yes)b | 2,292(48.06) | 437(50.64) | 1.13(0.98–1.31) |
| Depressed(yes)b | 932(19.54) | 195(22.60) | 1.26(1.05–1.50)c |
| Anxious(yes)b | 591(12.39) | 118(13.67) | 1.15(0.93–1.43) |
| Pressured(yes)b | 1,328(27.85) | 235(27.23) | 0.96(0.82–1.14) |
| Score in sex-related knowledge a | 42.58(SD = 12.99) | 51.01(SD = 11.68) | 22.12d |
| Approve/accept premarital sex (yes)b | 2,837 (59.49) | 790 (91.54) | 9.83(7.67–12.59)d |
| Approve/accept multiple sex partners (yes)b | 547 (11.47) | 164 (19.00) | 2.16(1.77–2.64)d |
a Independent-samples t-test. b Dichotomous variables with 0 (condition absent) as reference group. c p < 0.05 d p < 0.01