Adolescents and Sexual Activity
Adolescents and Sexual Activity
Rebecca Miller
Grand Canyon University: PSY 225
9/1/2014
This paper will consist of information about adolescents and sexual activity. Information already known from personal experience and history, as well as information sought out using the Guttmacher Institute. It will also contain any new or surprising information not already known about for this topic of adolescent sexual activity. The Guttmacher Institute’s website has been a very good resource to use while writing this informative paper as it contained statistics unaware of their existence. To see how the statistics raised or lowed over the years have been very intriguing. Addressed in this paper will be sexual activity, contraception use, access to and the use of contraception services, sexually transmitted diseases/ infections, pregnancy, childbearing, fatherhood and abortion.
Sexual Activity Personal information of sexual activity of adolescents is that many were having sex at an early age. Some were even having sex as early as sixth grade. While others started drinking and having sex in junior high and by the time they reached high school they had multiple partners. It was nothing to sit in class on a Monday morning and hear about the party that happened over the weekend and hear about who “hooked up” or had sex with whom. In high school there were multiple guys and girls having sex that were known personally. Surprisingly enough “Fewer than 2% of adolescents have had “sex by the time they reach their 12th birthday. (Institute, 2014)” An adolescent seems to think that since they are maturing from child to adult they can choose to make adult decisions. According to Psychology Today “Adolescence describes the teenage years between 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescence can start earlier, during the preteen or "tween" years (ages 9
Rebecca Miller
Grand Canyon University: PSY 225
9/1/2014
This paper will consist of information about adolescents and sexual activity. Information already known from personal experience and history, as well as information sought out using the Guttmacher Institute. It will also contain any new or surprising information not already known about for this topic of adolescent sexual activity. The Guttmacher Institute’s website has been a very good resource to use while writing this informative paper as it contained statistics unaware of their existence. To see how the statistics raised or lowed over the years have been very intriguing. Addressed in this paper will be sexual activity, contraception use, access to and the use of contraception services, sexually transmitted diseases/ infections, pregnancy, childbearing, fatherhood and abortion.
Sexual Activity Personal information of sexual activity of adolescents is that many were having sex at an early age. Some were even having sex as early as sixth grade. While others started drinking and having sex in junior high and by the time they reached high school they had multiple partners. It was nothing to sit in class on a Monday morning and hear about the party that happened over the weekend and hear about who “hooked up” or had sex with whom. In high school there were multiple guys and girls having sex that were known personally. Surprisingly enough “Fewer than 2% of adolescents have had “sex by the time they reach their 12th birthday. (Institute, 2014)” An adolescent seems to think that since they are maturing from child to adult they can choose to make adult decisions. According to Psychology Today “Adolescence describes the teenage years between 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescence can start earlier, during the preteen or "tween" years (ages 9
References: (2014). Retrieved August 31, 2014, from Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/adolescence Institute, G. (2014, May). Guttmacher Institute. Retrieved August 18, 2014, from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-ATSRH.pdf The Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation. (2014, August 20). Retrieved August 22, 2014, from http://kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/sexual-health-of-adolescents-and-young-adults-in-the-united-states/