ADOLESCENCE – SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OT 500 SPRING 2016

SEXUALITY WHEN? WHAT? (HOW?) WHO? WHERE? AND WHY? – NOT TO MENTION, “SHOULD I?”

MALE AND FEMALE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR Adolescents begin dating earlier than past generations  Earlier dating – more likely to engage in sexual activity in high school  Initiate sexual activity earlier – less likely to use contraception Incidence of oral sex increases with age Most teenagers do not plan their first sexual experience Sexual activity: type of leisure occupation; may be self-care when related to procreation

WHY DO SOME TEENAGERS INITIATE SEXUAL ACTIVITY AT AN EARLY AGE, WHILE OTHERS WAIT UNTIL LATER? Effects of puberty  Social factors may regulate sexual behavior more in girls  Early onset puberty – earlier sexual activity Parental influences  Close relationship with parents – less early sexual activity Peer influences  Predictor of sexual activity  Sexual activity of best friend WHAT ARE REASONS WHY TEENS (15-19) REPORT NOT HAVING SEX ?  ** 48% of females and 32% of males had mixed feelings about their first sexual experience (about whether they wanted it to happen)

WHAT ARE SOME PATTERNS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN ADOLESCENCE? Masturbation  Most common sexual outlet for teens  Nearly universal among male teens, less among female teens Sexual Orientation  Sexually attracted to, and interested in forming a relationship  With people of other sex – Heterosexual  With people of same sex – Homosexual  With people of either sex – Bisexual  One may engage in sexual activity outside of sexual orientation

PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE EVER HAD SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, BY RACE/ETHNICITY AND YEAR – UNITED STATES

HOMOSEXUAL SEXUAL ORIENTATION How does sexual identity develop for gay males and lesbians?  Attraction to members of same sex  Self-labeling as gay or lesbian  Sexual contact with members of same sex  Disclosure of sexual orientation to others Coming out  Recognizing and accepting one’s homosexuality to oneself  Declaring it to others  Gay youth, especially males are at higher risk for school problems, substance abuse, depression and suicide

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF GAY AND LESBIAN SEXUAL ORIENTATION Learning theorists  Reinforcement and observational learning  Most individuals are aware of sexual orientation before experience sexual contact  Societal condemnation provide few positive effects Genetic factors  Sibling and twin studies; runs in families’ 52% of identical twins; 22% for fraternal twins Sex hormones  Sexual orientation not reliably connected with adults levels of sex hormones  May effect developing embryo and fetus

TEENAGE PREGNANCY Throughout history, girls were first becoming pregnant during teens  In US today, 9 in 10 teens who become pregnant do so accidentally and without committed partners Reasons for teenage pregnancy in US  Little advice on handling sexual advances  Failure to use contraception; about 75-80% of sexually active high school students use contraceptives  Pregnancy may be used to force a commitment, rebel against a parent or moral standards  Miscalculate odds of getting pregnant; “Won’t happen to me”  Alcohol or drug use

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY? Consequences for pregnant teen  More likely to experience medical complications; Less likely to complete education; Lower salaries Consequences for teen father  Lower grades in school than peers; Enter workforce at earlier age Consequences for children of teen mom  Lower cognitive functions; More behavioral, emotional problems; More likely to become teen parent; negative consequences result from socially and economically deprived environments, not from the mother’s age

PREVENTING TEENAGE PREGNANCY Sex education programs  Increase knowledge about sexuality; encourage delay onset of sexual activity School-based clinics that distribute contraceptives  Birthrates often drop significantly Abstinence-only programs  No effect on teenage pregnancy rates  Teen pregnancy rates vary from 2- 5 % within US States; NH, VT, MA, CT, RI have the lowest rates; NM, TX, OK, AR MS have highest

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

WHAT IS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY? Illegal activities committed by child or adolescent and come into contact with the criminal justice system  Some activities are illegal only if committed by minors (Status offenses) Ethnicity  Factors for overrepresentation of African American youth in juvenile justice system  Differential offending hypothesis  Differential treatment hypothesis  Economic and family factors

DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR Boys more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors and commit more crimes of violence Girls commit more status offenses such as Running away and truancy Family factors: lax; ineffective discipline; severe parental; punishment; parents/siblings often engage in delinquent behavior; neighborhoods where such behavior is the norm; low levels of affection Prenatal smoking by the mother?

WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR? Many risk factors – causality is not clear  Early aggressive, antisocial, or hyperactive behaviors  Low verbal IQ, immature moral reasoning  Low self-esteem and impulsivity  Parents and/or siblings have been involved in antisocial behaviors  Little interest and poor performance in school  Early substance abuse, early sexuality  Delinquent friends  Use of violence in interactions

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY Focus on individual offender Focus on systems  Family, peer groups, school, community Early childhood intervention programs

SUICIDE WHEN THE ADOLESCENT HAS NOTHING – EXCEPT EVERYTHING – TO LOSE

HOW MANY ADOLESCENTS COMMIT SUICIDE? WHY? Among adolescents – suicide is the 3 rd leading cause of death; since 1960 teen suicide rates have tripled; 7-8 per 100,000 Risk factors in suicide – areas of psychological problems  Confusion about self; Impulsiveness  Emotional instability; feelings of depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem  Interpersonal problems, victimization by bullying  Post-traumatic events  Concerns about sexuality  Pressures to achieve; Anxiety; stress  Belief that it is acceptable to kill oneself  Drug abuse, smoking, extensive body piercing  Hostility

SUICIDE Suicide runs in families  Genetics  Socially impoverished family environment  Poor problem-solving  BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS!!! WHAT ARE THE SIGNS??