Lecture 7 - Sexuality in childhood and adolescence

Question 1

At what age do kids typically start having romantic or sexual thoughts?

Answer 1

Age 10 — first “crush” or attraction

Question 2

What is the average age of first sex in Canada

Answer 2

age 16-19 — first intercourse

Question 3

what is the average age people have their first experience

Answer 3

• age 10 — first “crush” or attraction
• age 12-14 — first kiss
• age 15-16 — genital fonding
• age 16-19 — first intercourse

Question 4

data sources

Answer 4

• retrospective surveys with adults
• kinsey interviews
• talking computer interviews
• survey adolescents
• canadian youth, sexual health, and HIV/AIDs study
• bibby (2001, 2009)

Question 5

Factors influencing psychosexual development

Answer 5

parental socialization
- expectations
- reactions
- communication

social learning (modelling)

sexual experiences
- developmentally appropriate
- abusive

cultural factors

Question 6

Infancy and preschool years

Answer 6

• 0-4 years
• sexual response
• attachment
• self-stimulation
• child-child encounters
• knowledge

Question 7

Sexuality during Childhood

Answer 7

• 5-11 years
• adrenarche
• minded-sex sexual play
• same-sex sex play

Question 8

Masturbation by age 12

Answer 8

Boys
- to orgasm 42%
- not to orgasm 27%

Girls
- to orgasm 20%
- not to orgasm 18%

Question 9

Masturbation by age 14

Answer 9

• boys - 62.6%
• girls - 43.3%

Question 10

masturbation by age 17

Answer 10

• boys - 80%
• girls - 58%

Question 11

Debra Haffner “from diapers to dating: a parent’s guide to raising sexuality healthy children from infancy to middle school”

Answer 11

• healthy body image
• respect for others
• understand the concept of privacy
• make age-appropriate decisions
• comfortable asking questions about sexuality
• prepared for the changes of puberty

Question 12

sexualization of children occurs when

Answer 12

• a person’s value comes from sexual appeal or behaviour
• a person is held to a standard in which physical attraction = being sexy
• a person is sexually objectified
• sexually is inappropriately imposed on another person

Question 13

sexualization of boys

Answer 13

• tv, games, movies that promote muscularity, physical power, and that sex for men involves aggressive domination of beautiful women for the pleasure of men

Question 14

sexulization of girls

Answer 14

• sexual objectification, weight and appearance
• beauty pagents

Question 15

Sexuality during adolescence

Answer 15

• 12-18 years
• key features
• interest
• biological factors
• social factors

Question 16

Masturbation during adolescence

Answer 16

• increase after puberty
• sharp increase for boys
• gradual increase for girls

Question 17

hookups

Answer 17

• any sexual behaviour in a seemingly uncommited context
• between 60-80% of YA college students have some sort of hookup experience
• gateway to a romantic relationship

Question 18

Sexuality during emerging adulthood

Answer 18

• ages 19-24 = emerging adulthood/late adolescence
• masturbation = 98% of men, 80% of women masturbate
• intercourse = 85% by age 24
• most in context of romantic relationships, not marriage

Question 19

Sexuality among LGBTQ+ adolescents

Answer 19

• begin to process social implications of sexual orientation/identity
• behaviours vs. identity/orientation
• bullying

Question 20

Sexting

Answer 20

• sexual messages or images via cellphones
• 39% of teens have sexted
• 15-20% teens posted/sent nude or semi-nude pictures
• 30% recieved nude or semi-nude pictures

Question 21

Increasing the likelihood of adolescent condom use

Answer 21

• motivation
• skill

Question 22

preventing teen pregnancy

Answer 22

• access to information about effective contraception, access to these methods
• greater societal acceptance of sexual activity among young people

Question 23

health concerns

Answer 23

adolescence pregnancy rates
- 2.8% of teen girls in 2010, 2.5% in 2019
- lower than US higher than Europe

Highest rates of STIs are among adolescents
- inconsistent condom and contraceptive use

Question 24

Pro of Adolescent romantic relationships

Answer 24

• learn skills and scripts needed to maintain a long-term relationship
• explore identity
• develop future goals
• learn communication and conflict resolution skills
• learn how to enhance intimacy, sexuality

Question 25

Con of Adolescent romantic relationships

Answer 25

• some are low-quality relationships characterized by high-conflict, controlling behaviour, etc.
• emotional experience can include anxiety, jealousy, depression
• cyberstalking and stalking behaviours
• harrassment for LGBTQ+ youth
• extradyadic sexual activity

Question 26

Predictors of too early sex:

Answer 26

• Living in single-parent home
• Having more depressive symptoms
• Displaying antisocial behaviour
• Less self-disclosure to parents
• More parent-child conflict
• Having more other-sex friends
• Having friends who use alcohol and drugs
• Lower academic achievement

Question 27

Too early sex

Answer 27

15 or younger

Question 28

Associated risks of early sex

Answer 28

• Less likely to use a condom
• More likely to have sex with more than one partner
• Higher risk of teen pregnancy
• Higher risk of STIs

Question 29

Losing virginity

Answer 29

– Gift
– Stigma
– Process

Question 30

Predictors of satisfaction at first intercourse:

Answer 30

• Intentional (not spontaneous)
• People less committed to gender roles
• More positive body image

Question 31

Motives for NOT engaging in intercourse

Answer 31

• Not feeling ready
• Not having the right opportunity
• Not having met the right person
• Wanting to be a virgin at marriage

Question 32

First intercourse

Answer 32

Reissing et al. (2011)
• 60% with serious partner
• Most rated as positive

Tsuit & Nicolades (2004)
• ½ emotional satisfaction
• 40% rated as good or excellent

Question 33

Motives for engaging in intercourse

Answer 33

Love and affection (expressed by more girls)

Curiosity and experimentation (expressed by more boys)

Other reasons:
• Increased intimacy
• Sexual pleasure
• Increased social status

Question 34

Mixed-sex sexual behaviour

Answer 34

• Attitudes
• Have become more accepting
• Behaviour

Question 35

Same-sex sexual behaviour

Answer 35

Attraction: CYSHHAS (2003) sexual attraction grades 9-11
- 5% girls attracted to girls or both
- 2-6% of boys attracted to boys or both

Experience Bancroft et al.
- relationship to sexual identity