Chapter 6, Section 3 Challenges of Adolescence

Sexual Behavior  Changes in norms allowed culture to develop a new standard for sex  Development of birth control, youth counterculture, and feminist movement led to the “sexual revolution”

Rates of Teen Sexual Activity  1970 – 29% of year old women were sexually active  1995 – 50% of year old women were sexually active

Factors Influencing Early Sexual Activity  Socioeconomic – family, parent’s marital status, religious participation 2 parent families less likely; lower socioeconomic level more likely (remember these are only statistics)  Subcultures – group norms; drug use; delinquency If you use drugs, you are more likely to have premarital sex (remember these are only statistics)

Consequences of Early Sexual Activity  According to the CDC: less than 1/3 of teenage women who are sexually active use birth-control methods regularly  Statistics show that 4 million teenagers contract an STD yearly  Teen pregnancy – statistics show that babies born to teenage mothers have lower birth weights and more complications

Teenage Drug Use  Can be influenced by friends who use, personal social and academic problems, and/or a hostile and rejecting family setting  Can lead to violent crimes involving teenagers

Teenage Suicide  Predictors Alcohol and drug use  Low levels of self-control Triggering events  Fear of punishment  Loss of or rejection  Family crisis  Poor school performance  Fight with friend or family

Teenage Suicide (cont.) Age  As age increases the risk increases Sex  Females 3 times as likely than males Population density  Low the density the higher the risk; social isolation