Adolescent Sexual Behavior Essay

cornerst integrityAdolescent cozy mien refers to internal feelings, behavior, and development in juveniles. It is a stand for of human k straighta mienledgeableity. The cozy behavior of immatures is influenced by their cultures norms and more thans, their internal preference and the issues of social control. cozyity is a heathen issue. For humans, wind is a matter of ethnical meaning and personal choice than biological programing.cost and Benefits of Sexual Behavior check to a 2004 paper, the place of adolescent intimate relation and birth rates to puerilers in the United States live with declined, but a majority of adolescents arrive at been harming in versed versed relation before complemental high indoctrinate. 42% of high school students did non mapping a rubber during their last get laidledgeable encounter and 14% w dated in inner military action with approximately four representativeners. Reducing adolescent provokeual legal action and the jeopardy for sexu solelyy transmitted diseases is a priority infra Healthy People 2010, a round of easilyness objectives for the nation to achieve over the first decade of the new century. (Deptula, Shoeny, Slavick, 35)Studies plant that t here is a link amid sexual attitudes and sexual behavior. Attitudes argon cerebrate to condom use and sexual use is for twain younger and older adolescents. non surprisingly, high school students newspaper publishered that positive(p) attitudes toward sex were relate to to eng whilement in sexual action. It was particularly c erstrning sexual pleasure. Worries nigh pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections were related to condom use. Theories suggest that attitudes argon a key part in the fulfil of making behavi ad-lib decisions. The Health impression Model, a psychological nonplus that attempts to excuse and predict health behaviors, is determined by foc using on the attitudes and beliefs of one-on-one.The Decisional B alance model postulates that behavioral decisions atomic number 18 made by assessing and comparing relative gains or losings associated with behavioral eng suppuratement. The factors accommodate personify for the individual andsignifi baset others as well as approval from oneself and significant others. In a study that examined the Costs and Benefits of condom use it was found that the ratings for perceived behavioral be of protection re of imported constant over cadence while perceived benefits of birth control and condom use were associated with behavior change. (Deptula, Shoeny, Slavick, 35)The carnal receiptledge between attitudes and sexual decision-making may besides be influenced by the impact of demographic factors such as age, sexual practice, and religion, on attitudes. Boys had more positive attitudes towards sex than girls and girls had more positive take cargons of abstention. Males in any case had more liberal attitudes towards antenuptial casual sex and anxiety, fear and vice concerning sexuality. They were also more apt(predicate) to report great benefits associated with sexual activities than females. Despite the gender differences in attitudes, the beliefs that severally held are definitive predictors for both males and females. Attitudes towards sex become more positive with age and the gender differences in attitudes decreased with age.When an analyses conducted to determine is attitudes words sexual activity were majorly associated with engaging in sexual behavior, it was revealed that adolescents who had never tenanted in sexual activity reported more cost associated with intercourse and fewer benefits compared to those who were sexually vigorous. liaison in sexual activity was colligate to a wisdom of start out be and great benefits for intercourse.The primary purpose of the study was to determine which two aspects of attitudes, cost and benefits, predicted collimate and future sexual activity. The effects of cost were equivalent, if not stronger than benefits. The study also suggested that the perception of cost and benefits were both influential in adolescents decisions to engage in sexual activity.establish on the theory of Decisional Balance, it is expected that adolescents who obstinate to engage in sexual activity would report fewer costs and great benefits associated with having sex, which is somewhat supported by the study. When the akinlihood of intercourse was 50%, the awareness of costs was great than the awareness of benefits. It appears that althoughcosts passive outweigh benefits, adolescents still engage in sexual activity, suggesting that there are other factors that play a role in the decision to confine sex. (Deptula, Shoeny, Slavick, 41)The results of the studies have heavy suggestions for pr even outtion. The start of sexual activity was predicted by both costs and benefits attitudes. Perception of costs was slightly more influential than benefits in predictio n later sexual initiation. It is suggested that both of those dimensions be targeted in order to successfully delay adolescent engagement in sexual activity. In studying the costs, it was revealed that its main focus was on juvenile pregnancy. The benefits include social status, personal pleasure and interpersonal connection. The study also revealed that females with high cognitive abilities reports more benefits associated with sex while males with lower cognitive abilities reported fewer costs.The focusing pueriles Define SexThere is sure a divide between the jejuneagedrs of now and generations before them. The divide has to do with what each generation considers to be sex. According to query make by the Centers for Disease have got and Prevention, more than half of 15- to 19-year olds are engaging in oral sex. Adults say that is a social class of sex, but teenagedrs do not propose it that steering. A 19-year old sophomore(prenominal) in college stated, For most te ens, the only form of sex is penetration, and anything else doesnt count. You can have oral sex and be a virgin, while most adults consider oral sex as something that is extremely intimate.Sarah Br make, film director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy said, What were learning here is that adolescents are redefining what is intimate. Teenagers view oral sex as something that is quite casual so it doesnt need to be done while in a affinity. (Jayson, 1) Psychologist David Walsh stated that the brain is wired to develop yearning physical and emotional attraction during the teenage years as a part of the maturing process and he is disturbed by the musical mode that the media portrays casual sex because it gives teenagers a false image on real intimacy. (Jayson, 2)When a parent discovers that their child in engaging in oral sex, they arent sure what to think because of the room that teens are so nonchalant virtually it and parents werent usually doing that as teena gers. This could also be due to the fact that many a(prenominal) parents do not deliberate that their child is the one who engages in such things.The definition of abstinence is changing as well. Ein truthone has a contrasting definition of sexual abstinence. The most everyday meaning of sexual abstinence is not having any type of sexual intercourse. abstinence is often linked with how recently a sexual behavior has materializered. If a indisputable sexual activity did not occur recently, many teens would describe themselves as abstinent, disregarding of their sexual history, while others still check it as not doing anything sexual. It just depends on who you are.The Medias Influence on Sexual BehaviorThe weed media is becoming the easiest air for young people to learn about sexual behavior and see it as well. Perhaps it is so influential because the teenage years are when we develop our own sexual beliefs and behaviors and parents are very disinclined to talk about sexu al issues. The total adolescent spends six to seven hours using media ranging from television to books. That number could be high by now because most adolescents now have televisions, computers, DVD players and some separate of audio system in their board and other parts of their homes besides their livelihood rooms.Much of the media that adolescents are loose to include sexual imagery but seldom portray consequences of risky sexual encounters or healthy sexual messages. Many health professionals believe that mass media content showing casual sex with no consequences has resulted in a host of negative behaviors among teens who may be persuaded that teen sexual activity is something everyone does.(Hart, 4) Although data shows that adolescents use media very frequently, mass media influences are rarely include as important contexts for adolescents sexual acculturation.Researchers suggest that media influences showed arranged and significantassociation with early adolescent se xual intentions and behaviors. world male was associated with greater sexual intentions and activity. No religious variable star in the study was associated with sexual intentions of behaviors. sensed sexual permission from the media was also associated with sexual intentions, light sexual activity, and heavy sexual activity. (LEngle, Brown, Kenneavy, 191)The findings of the study also showed that adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in their media diets are more likely to engage in sexual intercourse in the near future. The media serves as a tops(p) peer for adolescents who wish to seek information about sexuality because it is easily accessible. It has also been said that the information that they receive from the media is antithetical from what they learn from other sexual socialization agents such as parents, school and religion.Media programming rarely shows negative consequences from sexual behavior and depictions of condom and contraception use are very rare , making media users more likely to act the way that they see characters playacting because they are seen as realistic and they are not punished for their behavior, making these behaviors convert to adolescents. (LEngle, Brown, Kenneavy, 191)Trends and Estimates of Sexual ActivityBefore get into the details we must distinguish between sexually experienced and sexually active. sexually experienced is a teenager who has had sexual intercourse at least once in his/her life sentence. A sexually active teenager is one who has had sexual intercourse in the past three months. The preceding an adolescent has sex, the longer he or she is at risk of pregnancy and catching an STI. In 2002, approximately one-quarter of never married teenagers has had sexual intercourse before the age of 16. The number increased as age did. Some adolescents who have not engaged in sexual intercourse have engaged in oral sex.(Terry-Humen, Manlove, Cottingham, 3) Since many teenagers do not consider oral sex to be sexual activity, they likely do not concern themselves with the risks of this behavior. referable tothe fact that not many teenage relationships are long term, not all sexually experienced teenagers remain sexually active or are systematically sexually active. Those who are consistently sexually active put themselves at risk for pregnancy and contracting an STI each time they have sex or have sex with a new partner. (Terry-Humen, Manlove, Cottingham, 3) Being in a relationship that teenagers view as romantic is associated with a greater likelihood of having sex. Teenagers with older sexual partners are more likely to engage in sexual intercourse than those with similar age partners. Females are more likely to be in a steady relationship when they have sex for the first time. (Terry-Humen, Manlove, Cottingham, 4)In order to continue with having declines in teen pregnancy and lower the rising rates of STIs, it is suggested that messages of abstinence be reinforced, encourage t eenagers to master the frequency of sexual activity and partners, set them about the risks of oral sex, and expand interventions to regretful populations, such as minority groups. (Terry-Humen, Manlove, Cottingham, 7) decisionWhen it comes to predicting later sexual activity, both Costs and Benefits are important, although attitudes concerning the costs were a stain more influential in predicting sexual activity. It is suggested that both Costs and Benefits be included to hinder sexual activity. Due to the way that every diametrical generation was raised, the way in which we define sex is contrary to everyone. Baby-boomers see oral sex as something that is very intimate while teenagers see oral sex as something that is casual. The way in which some teenagers behave can end up hurting them in the future because they will not know how to have a long-lasting, healthy relationship.Adolescents who are exposed to sexual content in the media and obtain greater support from the media that is related to sexual behavior have greater intentions to engage in sexual intercourse and other sexual activities. The most limpid ways for teenagers to avoid STIs and unintended teenage pregnancy and childbearing is by delaying sexual initiation or reducing the sexual activity and number of sexual partners as well as improving interference use of those who are sexually active.My tradeIn my opinion, I think that its great that people are toilsome to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and STIs in teenagers. I dont believe that a person should have to be abstinent until marriage or anything like that and I believe that contraception should be used at all times. It is very alarming that kids are having sex at younger ages. Im with a lot of teens that say that oral sex is not really sex and I think it is due to the time gunpoint Im growing up in. Were desensitized to these things.I think that its important for parents to talk to their kids about sex, even though we proba bly know more than they think. Many kids I know, as well as myself, surprise our parents with how much we know about sex already because things were different when they were younger. Everything was more hush, hush then. The media is definitely a huge influence on the way that we live our lives today because sex is everyplace and its what sells.