3-133 - Sexual Development during Adolescence: A Positive Perspective

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

In many Western societies, adolescents’ sexual activities are still largely viewed as risky behaviors with potential negative outcomes for adolescents’ health (Halpern, 2010). However, researchers increasingly recognize that sexual activities during adolescence are developmentally normative (Harden, 2014). Moreover, recently, scholars have started to call for a new paradigm of research on adolescent sexuality in which emerging sexual activity is understood as not only normative, but as also having potentially positive consequences for psycho-social wellbeing (Shrier, 2007).
This symposium brings together findings from three studies that focus on positive correlates, predictors, and outcomes of adolescents’ experience with various sexual behaviors. Paper 1 assess associations of psycho-sexual health with young women’s sexual/romantic satisfaction and their emotional reactions to sex. Paper 2 examines the daily associations between kissing and positive/negative affect. Paper 3 investigates bidirectional associations between various aspects of psychosocial wellbeing and early adolescents’ experience with coital and non-coital sexual behaviors.
Whereas all three studies employ longitudinal study designs and self-reports methods, they vary in countries (Australia, United States, Netherlands), participants’ age (M1=21.2 years; M2=18.4 years; M3=14.0 years), measures (behavioral, cognitive, emotional), analytical strategies (multiple linear regression, multilevel models), through which they provide a multidimensional, multi-method, and international perspective on potential positive correlates, predictors and outcomes of adolescents’ developing sexuality.
The interactive discussion will focus on integrating the findings presented in this symposium, and aims to bring up directions for further research to advance our theoretical understanding of how sexual behaviors during adolescence may be associated with positive psychosocial wellbeing

Sub Unit

• Sex, Gender

Chair

• Raquel Nogueira Avelar e Silva, Erasmus University Medical Center

Discussant

• K. Paige Harden, University of Texas at Austin

Individual Presentations

• Young Women’s Sexual/Romantic Satisfaction and Emotional Reactions to Sex: Links with Sexual Entitlement, Efficacy and Situations - Presenting Author: Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus; Laurenne See, 1School of Applied Psychology and Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Australia; Lucia O'Sullivan, Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Canada

• Daily Associations Between Kissing and Positive and Negative Affect - Presenting Author: Eva Lefkowitz, University of Connecticut; Rose Wesche, The Pennsylvania State University; Anna Hochgraf, Pennsylvania State University; Giorgia Picci, Pennsylvania State University

• Bidirectional Associations Between Adolescents’ Sexual Activity and Psychosocial Wellbeing: A Longitudinal Study - Presenting Author: Raquel Nogueira Avelar e Silva, Erasmus University Medical Center; Daphne van de Bongardt, Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam; Laura Baams, University of Texas at Austin; Hein Raat, Erasmus University Medical Center