that teenage sex is "unhealthy",
leads to drug use, criminality,
antisocial behaviour and emotional problems
In fact, teenagers have better relationships
in their adult years when they engage in sex early
Click on image to enlarge
Teenage Sex Can't Be Bad [Original]
A new study, conducted by Kathryn Paige Harden, a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Virginia, contradicts earlier research reports and various concerns that teenage sex is emotionally and psychologically unhealthy, leads to drug use, criminality, antisocial behaviour and emotional problems.The paper, ‘Rethinking timing of first sex and delinquency’, which was recently published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, examined 534 same-sex twin pairs; using data mined from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative study (of the United States) designed to assess adolescent health and risk behaviour.
That data was gleaned from extensive surveys of teenagers, and collected in three waves between 1994 and 2002.
Thus, by examining the activities of twins, the investigators were able to eliminate genetic and socio-economic variables that might otherwise influence teen behaviours.
The study reports that teens who engage in sex are more likely to develop stronger relationships in adulthood and that early sex does not lead to delinquent behaviour.
This contradicts studies and analogies that had been conducted earlier; for example, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reported in February 2007 that a large percentage of girls who engage in sex in their teen years, later feel ashamed and used.
Psychologist David Walsh even went so far as to claim that early sex distorts one’s perception of what a relationship really is, making relationships seem purely physical, and thus making it impossible to have long lasting, trusting, communicative relationships in adulthood.
Harden claims that her studies showed that teens have better relationships in their adult years when they engage in sex early, contrary to commonly held notions that teen sex is psychologically unhealthy.
Kathryn Paige Harden said:
"We got a very surprising finding, particularly that early sex seems to forecast less antisocial behavior a few years later, rather than more, there is a cultural assumption in the United States that if teens have sex early it is somehow bad for their psychological health, but we actually found that teens who had sex earlier seem to have better relationships later. Now we want to find out why."
In the next phase of the research, Ms. Harden plans to closely examine the contexts of early teen sexual activity.
Such as the types of relationships teenagers are having, the age of partners, where sex occurred, what were the reasons they had sex, and how long their relationships lasted.
She and her colleagues will then try to relate that to later behaviours and attitudes:
"Our hypothesis as a result of this finding is that teens who become involved in intimate romantic relationships early are having sex early and more often, but that those intimate relationships might later protect them from becoming involved in delinquent acts later.
"People assume there is an association between early sex and later delinquency. It could be because teen sex transgresses parental expectations and is seen as impulsive or influenced by peer pressure.
"But people’s concerns about early sex leading to delinquency may not be warranted.
Harden does acknowledge that early teen sex is linked to early pregnancy and disease, but these risks are not inevitable.
She notes that in other Western countries, such as Australia, there are patterns and rates of teen sexual activity similar to the United States, but drastically lower rates of teen pregnancy.
She attributes this to a poor level of sexual health knowledge in the United States, ineffective contraceptive use and lower abortion rates.
John Howard is Slaughtered!: Another Bushite Bites the Dust
Today, it feels great to be Australian. I've woken up in an Australia that has waved bye-byes to John Howard and his Liberal* government, after nearly 12 years of the whining little weasel and his passel of purse-lipped nationalistic sycophants.Right-Wing Hack, Robert Novak, Tries to Trash Mick Huckabee
Who would respond to criticism from the Club for Growth by calling the conservative, free-market campaign organization the "Club for Greed"?That sounds like Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards, all Democrats preaching the class struggle. In fact, the rejoinder comes from Mike Huckabee, who has broken out of the pack of second-tier Republican presidential candidates to become a serious contender -- definitely in Iowa and perhaps nationally.
Media Complicit In ‘Shopopocalyse’ As Consumers Go Wild
You could almost run that old Lone Ranger theme - the famous William Tell Overture - as the soundtrack to the local news stories I watched here in Boston on Thanksgiving day featuring perky local news “correspondents” stirring a buying frenzy with upbeat reports on manic consumers racing into malls for “midnight madness” sales.Paul Krugman: Economic Woes
“Americans’ Economic Pessimism Reaches Record High.” That’s the headline on a recent Gallup report, which shows a nation deeply unhappy with the state of the economy.Right now, “27% of Americans rate current economic conditions as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good,’ while 44% say they are ‘only fair’ and 28% say they are poor.”
Moreover, “an extraordinary 78% of Americans now say the economy is getting worse, while a scant 13% say it is getting better.”
Good Sex: Plenty of Theory but Where's the Practice?
Using a large purple and gold vagina hand puppet, the sex educator openly discussed topics such as clitoris facts and pleasure, how to find the G-spot, female ejaculation, orgasms, and safe and healthy information about anal sex.Working-Class Women Find Hope in Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton's campaign is capitalizing on an overlooked strain of feminism in blue-collar women - nurse's aides, factory workers, farmers, and single mothers - to help fuel her strength among the Democratic candidates for president."Speechless" 4, 5 & 6: Jeff Garlin, "Ugly Betty" Cast, David Schwimmer & Kate Beckinsale
For the first time in the TV & movie industry, high-profile SAG actors are together taking their talents directly and exclusively to the Internet, the very medium which is at the center of the current WGA labor strike against the Media Conglomerates.Last Week's Front Page Photo Stories [18-23 November]
Women Aroused by Both Male & Female PornObama: Too Liberal for Conservative America?
Iraq: Holocaust Denial
Mating Ritual: It Started with a Kiss
The Clitoris: A Girl's Best Friend
She Needs Arousal Before She Feels Desire
Sex: Performance Art
Clip: Katie Couric Takes the Piss out of Dan Rather
Battles between news anchors have historically been between rival networks. But today's ripest feud is a purely CBS affair: Katie vs. Dan. The rivalry took a humorous turn Thursday when this outtake shows Katie Couric mocking Dan Rather and herself.Brian Williams Gives Head to the Christian Right [Clip]
Brian Williams: "I was the recipient today of several emails from well-intentioned people, telling me I was being attacked in parts of the blogosphere for something I wrote and said on the air in last night's broadcast."
1. Azazelle left...Monday, 2 June 2008 12:30 pm :: http://www.edenfantasys.com/
Ok! Let the sex be teen! But let it be safe, cause it will be a sad picture seeing parents with their daughters standing in a queue to venereologist or gynaecologist . Because usually unexperienced and random sex (like teenage) lead to such consequences as teen pregnancy, and even more STD's. If we let our children to be adult- lets teach them to be adult. I think it should be introduced a course of sexual education in school program.