Youth Sexuality and Timing of Sexual Onset Research Paper Example

Abstract

Youth sexuality has been primarily studied with a focus on its potential public health issues, such as sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies, and its comorbidity with other risky behaviors. More recently, it has been studied as a normative step in romantic partnerships, either pre- or post-marital, as well as outside the context of romantic involvement. In this paper, we review the extensive literature on sexuality in adolescence and early adulthood both within and outside romantic relationships (i.e., casual sexual relationships and experiences; CSREs). Furthermore, the recent recognition of youth sexuality as a developmental task has led to a renewed interest from scholars in youth who abstain from sexual encounters, whether deliberately or not. A brief overview of the literature on cultural differences in sexuality, and sexual-minority youth sexual development is also provided. This paper concludes by suggesting future directions to bring the field of youth sexuality and romantic relationships forward.

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Keywords: adolescence, early adulthood, sexuality, sexual behavior, development, normative, sexual minorities, casual sexual relationships and experiences (CSREs), literature review

1. Introduction

Research on the psychosexual development of adolescents is generally characterized by two main streams. First, adolescent (or premarital) sexual activity has been investigated as potentially risky and harmful, and examined from a public health perspective for a long time [1,2,3,4]. This traditional line of research is of critical importance, considering the high prevalence rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted teenage pregnancies in countries such as Great Britain and the United States [5,6,7]. Youth risky sexual behaviors, commonly operationalized as precocious sexual onset (i.e., first intercourse before 15 years old; [8,9]), inconsistent condom use, and multiple sexual partners [10], are directly involved in the high prevalence rates of STIs, including HIV [11]. Past decades of research have yielded important knowledge on the improvement of prevention and intervention strategies in education and health care aiming to promote youth sexual health [12, HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810042/" \l "B13-behavsci-06-00008" 13,14].

Second, although research on adolescent risky sexual behavior is of vital importance, over the past two decades, it has been increasingly recognized that the exploration of intimate relationships and sexual behaviors during adolescence and emerging adulthood are not inherently risky. As such, the field of youth sexual development has recently shifted toward an increased recognition of sexual intimacy with one's partner as a developmental task in adolescence and emerging adulthood [15,16,17]. In this expanding second line of research, scholars do not only focus on potentially risky aspects of young people's sexual behavior but also on positive outcomes associated with sexual activity in adolescence and emerging adulthood. For instance, two studies found that female sexual subjectivity (defined as feelings of sexual self-efficacy, entitlement to sexual pleasure from self and partner, sexual body esteem and sexual self-reflection; [18], increases significantly with sexual experience [19,20]. Other recent longitudinal studies reported a more positive body image among male college students after their first experience of intercourse, and lower psychological distress among both male and female college students [21, HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810042/" \l "B22-behavsci-06-00008" 22]. Another study observed that youth sexual health is associated with greater well-being in early and later adulthood [23].

This body of literature has provided insight into how comprehensive sexuality education can effectively promote responsible sexual decision-making in young people [24, HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810042/" \l "B25-behavsci-06-00008" 25,26]. Thus, youth sexuality research agenda is now taking both its normative and risky components into account, focusing on promoting positive sexual health [20,27,28] and prevention of sexual health issues such as STIs and HIV, unplanned pregnancies, sexual coercion and abuse, and violence in romantic relationships. This is also in line with the World Health Organization's [29] claim that sexual health is not merely the absence of illness or sexual problems, but also encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in relation to sexuality.

2. Timing of Sexual Onset

Research has shown that most heterosexual adolescents follow a progressive sexual trajectory, in which they first engage in non-genital behaviors (e.g., kissing, holding hands, hugging), followed by genital sexual behaviors, (e.g., mutual touching of the genitals, oral sex), and, ultimately, vaginal intercourse [30,31]. The majority of adolescents in the Netherlands, Canada, and in most Western countries follow this developmental sequence [31, HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810042/" \l "B32-behavsci-06-00008" 32], although there are individual differences in the pace of this sequence. As such, sexual repertoires typically increase in diversity along with age [33], but apart from a few studies on oral sex (e.g., [34,35]), the vast majority of the literature on adolescent sexual behavior has focused on intercourse.

Research shows that a majority of teenagers from the U.S. [36,37], the UK [38], Canada [39]), Australia [40] and the Netherlands [41] report experience with sexual intercourse by eighteen years of age. Between 10% to 40% of youth in the U.S. and other Western countries remain virgins after age 18 [42, HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4810042/" \l "B43-behavsci-06-00008" 43]. These rates drop dramatically among older emerging adults, with only 5% of males and 3% of females still being virgins at ages 25 to 29 [44]. Hence, individual differences in timing of first intercourse have been one of the most studied features of sexual development [45]. A lot of attention has been devoted to the factors associated with first intercourse in adolescence, as well as to targeting the protective factors to delay its onset. As a result, numerous studies have been published on the individual, interpersonal, and socioeconomic characteristics that precipitate or delay sexual initiation, and there is abundant literature on the correlates of the distinct trajectories of early, normative, and late first intercourse (e.g., [45,46,47]. Recent longitudinal evidence suggests that both early and late sexual onset are related to mental and sexual health issues, poorer peer relationships, and higher adjustment difficulties in comparison with a more normative timing of sexual debut [4,8,15,45,48]. These findings echo with lifespan [49] and lifecourse [50] theories that raise the importance of transitioning in sync with peers within a specific cohort, historical period, cultural context, and within group norms. These theories suggest that early and late normative life transitions are associated with increased challenges, over and beyond the difficulties of any transition per se.

Early Sexual Onset. While early engagement in sexual behaviors is not inherently problematic [51], research indicates that early starters are typically more vulnerable to potential risks. It has been argued that teenagers in early and middle adolescence are generally not "cognitively ready" for safe and consensual sexual interactions [52]. Moreover, younger adolescents are generally more impulsive [53] and more sensitive to social pressure [54]. They also often have less knowledge about sexual risks, and tend to be less confident and assertive during interactions with partners [41]. As a result, early initiators are more likely to have condomless sex [9,55] , to accumulate more sexual partners throughout adolescence [9], to have non-consensual sexual experiences [41], to contract sexually transmitted infections [56], to become pregnant as a teenager [7], and to experiment subsequent increases in externalizing behaviors, albeit only among females [4]. Furthermore, sexual precocity is often comorbid with both externalized symptoms [8], especially among boys [57] and internalized problems [58], such as low self-esteem among girls [59]. In light of such potential risks, research on factors that delay or promote the initiation of sex is paramount. Yet, the scholars' attention has been devoted to the correlates of early sexual intercourse in adolescence, neglecting the individuals who remain sexually abstinent into adulthood.

Late Sexual Onset. Until recently, literature on sexual abstinence in late adolescence and emerging adulthood was scarce and tended to present virginity as a personal choice [60], based on religious attendance and religiosity [61], moral principles and conservative attitudes [62], or high academic goals. Other individual characteristics identified as correlates of virginity in late adolescence and early adulthood include a younger appearance due to late pubertal development [63], and lower use of alcohol and drugs [64]. When adolescent abstainers were asked directly why they refrained from sexual activity, various reasons emerged from their responses: fear- or uncertainty-based postponement (e.g., not ready, fear of pregnancy), conservative values (e.g., religious values, desire of waiting until marriage), and emotionality and confusion [65]. Similar findings from a Dutch study on sexual attitudes, behaviors, and health of adolescents and young adults aged 12-25 years [41] indicated developmental patterns in the reasons for not having sex. Whereas most 12-14 years old (72%) mentioned considering themselves too young, this percentage rapidly decreased to 34% among 15-17 years old, and 11% among 18-24 years old. Among 15-24-year olds, the most cited reason was that it just had not happened yet (49%-56%). However, various other reasons were also cited (e.g., being scared, not finding an eligible sexual partner, and parental or religious constraints), showing individual variation in reasons for abstaining from sex, and highlighting the need to...