Youth and Sexuality summary

Youth and Sexuality
Lecture 1 Psychosexual development in children and young people
Sexuality:
 A central aspect of being human throughout life (that) encompasses sex, gender
identities and roles, sexual orientation,, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction
 Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs,
attitudes, values, behaviours, practices, roles and relationships
 Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social,
economic, political, cultural, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors.
Principles:
 Sexual development is a life-long process
 Sexual development is multidimensional
 Sexual development is context-related
 Interaction between individual and context
 Sexual development has many paths




Early childhood (age 0 to 5):
 Context:
o Attachment
o Motor skills
o Language
o Toilet training
o Self-awareness and self-appreciation
 Sexual development:
o Discovering
 Own body & that of others
 Language for genitals
 Gender
 Social rules

,Childhood age (age 6 to 11):
 Context:
o Taking the others’ perspective
o Conscious of social norms
o School
o Friendships (mostly same-sex)
o (social) media
o Parents important
 Sexual development:
o First insecurities
o Exploring behaviour
o Shame about nudity
o Being in love and going steady
o Some basic knowledge
o Curiosity about sexuality

Early adolescence (age 12 to 14):
 Context:
o Physical changes
o Identity development
o Brain development
o Secondary education
o Parents still important
o Friends more important
o (social) media
 Sexual development:
o Insecurity
o Arousal and masturbation
o Love and relationships
o Kissing and occasionally touching
o Most not ready for more

Young starters run greater risks
 Access to information
 Less knowledge of sex, STD’s and contraceptives
 Less well protected against pregnancy’s and STD’s
 More likely to be persuaded or forced the first time
Early start more likely to be a positive experience if…
 step-by-step progression
 expecting the sexual debut
 autonomous decision making
 open communication with important others

, Mid-adolescence (age 15 to 18):
 Context:
o Physical changes continue
o Peer pressure gradually decreases
o Parents less important
o Partner more important
o Social media
 Sexual development:
o Appearance important, less insecure
o Relation more personal and intimate
o Important sexual orientation milestone
o Sex progresses step-by-step
 Greater control over each step
 Better prepared
 Better protected
Late adolescence (age 19 to 24):
 Context:
o Self-control increases
o Legally adults, but cognitively not
o Leaving home
o Going out, drinking and drugs
o Few responsibilities
 Sexual development:
o Serial monogamy
o Satisfied with appearance
o Positive views of sex
o Peak in sexually activity
o Peak in problems and risks
Can you be ‘too late’?
 Depends on the reason
 Sometimes the result of less social competence
 Could result in societal, interpersonal and emotional difficulties
Take home messages:
 Sexual development begins before a person is born
 Sexual development takes a place in a context of biological, psychological and social
development
 Every life phase can be characterised by typical sexual behaviours, feelings and
cognitions
 Most young people progress through a step-by-step process, from kissing to
intercourse (age 15 to 18)