Chapter 11

 

Adolescence and Sexuality

 

A.       Major Points

 

1.      Sexuality has connections to all areas and contexts of adolescent development (schools, culture, gender identity, family issues, peers, biological foundations, etc.)

 

2.      Sexual development and interests are a normal part of adolescent development

 

3.      Sexual development today is occurring at a time of greater sexual permissiveness in the culture.  Sexual images are everywhere and used to sell everything.  However, for adolescents the culture both encourages and discourages sexual behavior for this group.  A particular problem because many adolescents are still emotionally vulnerable and easily confused.

 

B.      Research on adolescent sexuality

 

1.      This research normally is done using adolescent self-reports (surveys and interviews)

 

2.  However, many factors influence the validity of these reports (truthfulness?  embarrassment?  understanding of terms  and questions? )

C.      Sexual experiences

 

1.      During adolescence there is movement from sexual interest and curiosity to experimentation to planned sexual behavior.

 

a.      during early adolescence (middle school years on) sexuality is associated with physical pleasure for males and romance for girls.

 

b.  self-stimulation is increasing common during this period (masturbation, nocturnal emission, and genital contact) beginning at around the early middle school years

 

2.      sexual progression normally moving from necking, to petting, to intercourse.  Frequency of petting and oral sex has increased in the last 40 years.  Males usually report sexual experiences a year earlier than females. 

 

3.      Greatest increases in more advanced sexual activity, particularly intercourse, have occurred among females over the last 40 years. 

 

4.      Estimates indicate that anywhere from 85-90% of college students are sexually active.  And, about half of all adolescents under age 16 have had sexual intercourse.

 

5.       Data shows that parents and adolescents have come much closer in their attitudes toward sexuality in the last 30 years.  In particular, attitudes toward premarital sexuality, use of contraception, abortion, and cohabitation.

 

D.      The meaning of sexuality. 

 

1.      different meanings by gender.  Girls tend to link love and sexuality.  Girls also associate it with romance and communication.  Boys tend to link masculinity or growing up with sexuality. 

 

2.      sexual activity may also be seen as a part of adolescent experimentation, rebellion, being part of a group.  This is why it is linked to other at-risk behaviors (excessive substance abuse, delinquency, and school problems).  For boys, in particular, peer pressure (and/or fear over being teased) play an important role. 

 

E.      Sexual knowledge and sex education

 

1.      knowledge is very poor and full of myths and information, particularly in regards to STDs

 

2.  most information is from peers, followed by sexual literature, the mother, and school programs (in South Carolina, this is 12.5 hours of total instructional time)

 

 

 

4.      existing sex education programs tend to stress biology and physiology of sexuality rather than the psychological topics of values, parenting, and abuse

 

5.      little evidence to indicate that sex education programs alone impact on sexual behavior

 

6.      what does seem to work to reduce teen sexuality and pregnancy?

 

a.      programs that include both sex education and family planning

 

b.       access to contraception (note: consistent use of contraception is low [still, use at first intercourse remains under 80%], and having sex with multiple partners remains high); and access to contraception that takes into account adolescents’ irregular and unpredictable sexual intercourse patterns

 

c.       programs that empower adolescents and provide positive life choices

 

d.       open communication with parents and family members

 

e.      cultural factors that reduce the mystery of sex

 

F.       The adolescent mother

 

1.      More than 200,000 females have a child before 18th birthday; about 10,000 females age 15 or younger

 

2.      The teen pregnancy rate, although dropping in the last decade, still exceeds that of most industrialized countries

 

3.      the consequences

 

a.      low birth weight infants (associated with mortality, illness, and neurological problems)

 

b.       poor health care and prenatal care

 

c.       about half fail to complete high school

 

d.       multiple out-of-wedlock pregnancies

 

e.      low paying jobs

 

f.         high likelihood of receiving federal aid

 

g.       lack of father involvement and/or father as immature and unprepared parent

 

h.       if married, divorce (rate is 3x higher than general population)

 

G.     Acquaintance and date rape

 

1.      prevalence:  about 38% of incoming college females report date rape during the high school years

 

2.      factors

 

a.      acceptance of rape “myths”

b.       acceptance of violence against women

c.       miscommunication

d.       violence as a reaction to other problems, academic and home

e.      alcohol and drug abuse

 

3.      importance of campus awareness and prevention programs

 

4.  importance of creating environments free from sexual harassment