Teens who come from poorer homes and stressful environments tend to have sex earlier, new research suggests.

The study, by researchers from the College of Human Ecology and the University of Texas, found that teens raised in more stable environments waited longer to have sex and were more influenced by genetic propensities—including when a child hits puberty.

That was not the case in more stress-filled living situations. “Our study shows that environmental influences—rather than genetic propensities—are more important in predicting age at first sex for adolescents from stressful backgrounds, who have few economic resources,” says Jane Mendle, an assistant professor at the College of Human Ecology. (Medical Xpress)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife Wendy and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.