Learning Goals

A. A Normal Aspect of Development

1.1 Do cultures differ in how they view adolescent sexuality?

1.2 What other chapters in the text serve as a backdrop for understanding adolescent sexuality?

B. The Sexual Culture

1.3 What is the nature of adolescent sexuality in today's culture?

1.4 Is there more tension related to sexuality between adolescents and parents in the United States than in other cultures?

C. Developing a Sexual Identity

1.5 What is involved in forming a sexual identity?

1.6 What is an adolescent's sexual preference?

D. Obtaining Information about Adolescent Sexuality

1.7 Who is most likely to respond to a sex survey?

1.8 Why is it difficult to obtain valid information about adolescent sexuality?

A. Heterosexual Attitudes and Behaviors

2.1 What is the progression of sexual behaviors?

2.2 Are some adolescents more vulnerable to irresponsible sexual behavior than others?

2.3 Have the number of females engaging in intercourse increased more rapidly than that of males?

2.4 Are there ethnic and racial differences in sexual activity?

2.5 What is the current profile of sexual activity of adolescents?

B. Adolescent Female and Male Sexual Scripts

2.6 What are the common male and female adolescent sexual scripts?

C. Risk Factors for Sexual Problems

2.7 What are some of the risks faced by adolescents who are sexually active?

2.8 What are specific risk factors for sexual problems in adolescence?

A. Homosexual Attitudes and Behavior

3.1 What is the attitude today about sexual orientation?

3.2 What do we know about adolescent's same-sex attractions?

3.3 What is the continuum of sexual orientation?

B. Gay or Lesbian Identity in Adolescence

3.4 What conclusions can be reached about adolescents who disclose their gay or lesbian identity?

3.5 What is meant by homophobia?

3.6 What is a harmful aspect of the stigmatization of homosexuality?

A. Self-Stimulation

4.1 What is the nature of sexual self-stimulation?

B. Contraceptive Use

4.2 How many adolescents are using contraceptives?

4.3 Which adolescents are least likely to use contraceptives?

A. Adolescent Pregnancy

5.1 How many American adolescents become pregnant each year?

5.2 How many adolescent births are unintended?

5.3 Is adolescent pregnancy increasing or decreasing?

5.4 What cultural changes have taken place in the last forty years regarding adolescent sexuality and pregnancy?

B. Consequences of Adolescent Pregnancy

5.5 What are the health risks for mother and offspring?

5.6 How does adolescent pregnancy affect a mother's school and work opportunities?

C. Cognitive Factors in Adolescent Pregnancy

5.7 How does the personal fable impact on pregnancy prevention efforts?

D. Adolescents as Parents

5.8 What infant risks are associated with being born to an adolescent mother?

5.9 What kind of mothers do adolescents make?

5.10 What is the nature of adolescent fatherhood?

E. Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy

5.11 What are Congers four recommendations for reducing adolescent pregnancy?

5.12 What programs have worked to reduce adolescent pregnancy?

5.13 What is the Teen Outreach Program?

A. Types

6.1 What are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)?

6.2 How are STDs contracted?

6.3 What is gonorrhea?

6.4 What is syphilis?

6.5 What is chlamydia?

6.6 What is genital herpes?

B. AIDS

6.7 What is AIDS?

6.8 What is the rate of AIDS in adolescence?

6.9 How does the long incubation period affect adolescents who may have been infected with the AIDS virus as teenagers?

6.10 Where is the region of most concern regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS?

6.11 How is AIDS transmitted?

6.12 How is AIDS prevented?

A. Forcible Sexual Behavior

7.1 What is the nature and incidence of rape?

7.2 What is date, or acquaintance, rape?

7.3 What is sexual harassment?

7.4 How prevalent is adolescent sexual harassment?

7.5 What is quid pro quo sexual harassment?

7.6 What is the nature of hostile environment sexual harassment?

A. Sexual Knowledge

8.1 How much do American adolescents and adults know about sex?

B. Sources of Sex Information

8.2 What is the nature or source of most sex information?

8.3 What are the sources of sex information?

C. Sex Education in the Schools

8.4 What is the incidence and nature of sex education in the schools?

8.5 Why do some experts believe that school-linked sex education tied to community health centers is a promising strategy?

8.6 How is sex education changing?

8.7 What are some criticisms of school-linked sex education?

A. Sexual Well-Being and Development Transitions

9.1 What are the five issues related to adolescent sexuality that need examination?

9.2 What might be considered some healthy sexual pathways?

B. Social Policy and Adolescent Sexuality

9.3 What social policy initiatives do we need concerning sex education?

9.4 What initiatives are needed to reduce adolescent pregnancy?

9.5 What did the Carnegie Foundation's report "Starting points: Meeting the needs of our youngest children" emphasize?