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Chapter 8

Childhood and Adolescent Sexuality

Sexuality Now – Embracing Diversity 5e

Chapter Outline

Studying Childhood and Adolescent Sexuality

Beginnings: Birth to Age 2

Early Childhood: Ages 2-5

Middle Childhood to Preteen: Ages 6-12

Adolescence: Ages 12-18

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education

Studying Childhood Sexuality

Society in the United States limits research on childhood sexuality

Due to a belief that it may cause undesired sexual behaviors in children

Four large-scale studies have been conducted in the United States

More research is needed on variety of adolescent sexuality issues, not just on decreasing problems

Beginnings: Birth to Age 2—Physical Development

Functional sexual anatomy

Many behaviors are due to curiosity; not to be termed “sexual”

Male fetuses and newborns are capable of erections

Female newborns are capable of vaginal lubrication

Beginnings: Birth to Age 2—Psychosexual Development

Bonding between mother and infant

Gender identity

After 24 months, gender identity is in place

Gender constancy will take a little longer

Beginnings: Birth to Age 2—Sexual Behavior

Lack of differentiation between sexual functions and other functions

Curiosity

Children are learning about their bodies and how to control them

Penile and clitoral erections, and vaginal lubrication may all occur

Genital touching is common after 3-4 months; frequency varies

Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5—Physical Development

Mastering coordination

Critical time period to learn the basic physical skills we use in life

Continued learning about the body, how it functions, and how to control it

Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5—Psychosexual Development

Who am I?

Turn to parents, siblings, or television for models of gender behavior

Interest and questioning nature about the genitals, bodily wastes

Discovering what it is to be a “girl” and “boy”

Psychosexual Development and Curiosity

Young girls and boys are curious about their bodies and bodily functions.

Source: Fabrizio Cacciatore/Photolibrary/Getty Images

Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5—Sexual Behavior

Sexual curiosity and responsibility

Girls and boys self-stimulate, although reports indicate boys do so more than girls

More common at this age than in later childhood; increases again after puberty

Parental reaction is important

Disapproval may lead to shame of self

Rules of appropriate conditions should be provided

Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5—Sexual Play

Child sex play may involve:

Exposing genitals

Undressing and touching

Asking questions

Rubbing their bodies against each other, often with those of the same sex

Early Childhood: Ages 2 to 5—Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes

Developing a sense of sexuality

Children learn that genitals are a unique part of the body and there are privacy issues

Children, especially girls, are rarely taught anatomically correct terms for their genitals

Boys are taught about the penis as focus of sexual pleasure

Girls are not taught about their focus of sexual pleasure (clitoris)

Middle Childhood to Preteen: Ages 6 to 12—Physical Development

Moving toward puberty

External signs of puberty around age 9–10; begins age 8–13 in girls, 9–14 in boys

Girls: breast buds, pubic hair, menarche

Boys: pubic hair and semenarche; frequent erections to various stimuli

Girls beginning puberty earlier than ever

Overall, girls’ maturation is 1.5-2 years ahead of boys

The Age Sequence of Pubertal Maturation in Boys and Girls

Developing Relationships

Young boys develop strong relationships with same-sex and other-sex friends and relatives, and these relationships set the stage for adult intimate relationships.

Source: JGI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Getty Images

Middle Childhood to Preteen: Ages 6 to 12—Psychosexual Development

Becoming more private

Socialization takes place about acceptable sexual behaviors

Bodily privacy becomes a concern

Sexual interest and activity increases throughout this time period

Middle Childhood to Preteen: Ages 6 to 12—Sexual Behavior

Learning about sex

Curiosity about others’ genitals

Age of sexual discovery: learn about intercourse, taboos, prejudices

Masturbation: at end of time period, most are able to stimulate to orgasm

Boys and girls learn from peers and media, rarely from parents or teachers

Both boys and girls exhibit wide range of same-sex behavior

Imitating Adult Relationships

In their relationships with each other, boys and girls in middle childhood often imitate adults.

Source: © Pressmaster/Shutterstock.com

Middle Childhood to Preteen: Ages 6 to 12—Sexuality and Relationships

Relationships with parents, caretakers, peers

Parents can become upset and confused about child sex or cross-gender play

Friendships essential to adolescent development

Peers teach acceptable sexual principles; typically same-sex peer groups and experimentation; other-sex peers begin to be seen as potential boy/girlfriends; may experience early sexual contact

Sibling/relative sexual contact may occur

Cultural Transitions into Adulthood

Many cultures have rituals of passage that signify the entry of the child into adulthood. Here a young Jewish boy practices reading from the Torah for his Bar Mitzvah.

Source: Miriam Reik/Alamy

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Physical Development

Adolescence ends at “adulthood” (around age 17 or 18 or extending into one’s 20s)

Physical maturation

Profound and sometimes fast physical changes

Changes in cardiovascular, energy, sexual desire, mood, personality

Can be an awkward stage for many

Sexual exploration, changing bodies, and peer pressure can lead to having negative body image

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Psychosexual Development

Emotional self-awareness

Most psychologically and socially difficult of life cycle changes

Forging identity separate from family; more emphasis on peers, cliques are common

Growing interest in intimate relationships by 14

Sensitive to perceived threats to emerging ideas about masculinity/femininity

Development of LGBTQ challenges long-held or socially taught ideas

Discovering an Identity

In early and middle adolescence, teens try on different looks, from trendy to rebellious, as they develop identities separate from their parents.

Source: DreamPictures/Taxi/Getty Images

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Sexual Behavior (1 of 4)

Sexual activity

Today’s adolescents are more likely to act responsibly about sexual behavior than media suggests

Masturbation

Increases as an activity to achieve orgasm

Decreases with partnered sex

Abstinence

Close to 30% of sexually active adolescents refrain from sexual activity at some point

Some adolescents avoid penetrative sex, but engage in other activities

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Sexual Behavior (2 of 4)

Sexual contact

Oral sex

41% of girls age 15–19

47% of boys age 15–19

Anal sex

15% of females age 18–19

17% of males age 18–19

Adolescents who have had penile-vaginal intercourse are more likely to engage in oral and anal sex

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Sexual Behavior (3 of 4)

Heterosexual intercourse

By senior year, 57% of females and 59% of males have had sexual intercourse

90% of boys wanted first intercourse; mostly curiosity, also affection; 0.3% forced

70% of girls wanted first intercourse; mostly affection, also curiosity; 4% forced

Same-sex sexual behavior

Same-sex contact is common at this age

3% of males and 8% of females age 18-19 identify as LGB, but 4% of males and 12% of females report having had same-sex sexual behavior

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Sexual Behavior (4 of 4)

Other sexual situations

7% of high school students forced to engage in sexual intercourse

Prevalence of forced sex with LGB teens was 18% and 13% with questioning teens

Some teens, runaways, engage in sex work or pornography for money to buy food, face many sexual and psychological difficulties later

Ethnic and racial differences in sexual activity

Prevalence of engaging in sexual intercourse higher among Black and Hispanic students than White students

Sexual Behaviors in Adolescence and Young Adults (1 of 2)

Masturbation
Age	Male	Female
14-15	67.5%	43%
16-17	79%	52%
18-19	86%	66%
20-24	92%	77%

Vaginal Intercourse
Age	Male	Female
14-15	10%	12%
16-17	30%	32%
18-19	62.5%	64%
20-24	70%	86%

Anal Sex
Age	Male Gave	Male Received	Female
14-15	4%	1%	4%
16-17	6%	1%	7%
18-19	10%	4%	20%
20-24	24%	11%	40%

Figure 8.3 Average percentage of men and women by age who have engaged in specific sexual behaviors. Source: National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) results in Herbenick et al. (2010a).

Sexual Behaviors in Adolescence and Young Adults (2 of 2)

Oral Sex
Age	Male
	With a Male Gave	With a Male Received	With a Female Gave	With a Female Received
14-15	2%	2%	8.5%	13%
16-17	3%	3%	20%	34%
18-19	10%	9%	61%	60%
20-24	9%	9%	71%	73.5%

Oral Sex
Age	Female
	With a Female Gave	With a Female Received	With a Male Gave	With a Male Received
14-15	5%	4%	13%	10%
16-17	9%	7%	29%	26%
18-19	8%	8%	61%	62%
20-24	14%	17%	78%	77%

Figure 8.3 Average percentage of men and women by age who have engaged in specific sexual behaviors. Source: National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB) results in Herbenick et al. (2010a).

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Influences

Peers

Strong influence

Perceptions of peer behavior impact sexual behavior; lessened with strong family ties

Parents

If moderately strict and open climate, tend to delay intercourse and use contraception; mainly mothers discuss sex

Religion

If religious, tend to delay and have fewer partners

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Complex Issues

Contraception and pregnancy

80% of female and 84% of male teens used contraceptive method for first intercourse

National teen pregnancy rate decreasing over past two decades

Teen mothers: lower birth weight babies, dropping out, poorer health, welfare, children with poorer health, and more behavioral/educational problems

Society asks little of teen fathers; few social pressures to take responsibility for offspring

(Change head to reflect chart(s) used.)

Figure 8.7 Approximately 80% of U.S. teens use a contraceptive method the first time they engage in sexual intercourse and condoms are the most popular method. Source: Martinez et al., 2011.

Adolescence: Ages 12 to 18—Sexually Transmitted Infections

Education and prevention

Chlamydia and gonorrhea higher in 15- to 19-year-old females than any other age group

15- to 24-year-olds acquire approximately 50% of all new sexually transmitted infections

Rates of STIs are increasing annually

Condom use critical to reducing transmission of STIs

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education (1 of 2)

Sexuality education in the United States

Sexuality education increased in the early 1900s to decrease STI rates

The United States has opposed sex education on two grounds:

Sex is private, not for kids, and meant to be discussed within religion and moral beliefs

Public schools cannot discuss religion and would provide implicit permission if sex was discussed

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education (2 of 2)

Sexuality education today

Each state responsible for developing its own sexuality education program

Less than half of high schools and a fifth of middle schools include all nationally recommended topics

37 states require abstinence information

18 states require contraception information

13 states require sexual orientation information

11 states require tools to help talk to parents about sex

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education—Programs (1 of 2)

Comprehensive sexuality education

Guidelines includes four main goals:

Provide accurate information

Provide opportunity to explore their sexual attitudes

Help development of interpersonal skills

Help development of responsible sexuality

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education—Programs (2 of 2)

Abstinence-only sexuality education programs

Variety of abstinence-based programs; tend to exaggerate the danger and negative aspects of sexuality

From 1996 to 2010, federal funding for abstinence-based sexuality education grew significantly

Federal funds could only be used for sexuality education if programs taught abstinence only until marriage

What Children Need to Know: Sexuality Education—The Results

Impact of sexuality education programs

Sexuality program effectiveness measures include vaginal intercourse, pregnancy, and contraceptive use

Comprehensive sexuality programs are most successful

Virginity pledges decrease sexual behavior immediately following pledge, but increase STIs and pregnancy risks

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