Sexuality in Childhood and Adolescence

Sexuality in Childhood and Adolescence

Introduction

There are basically four stages of sexual behavior that an average individual goes through. It is infancy from 0 to 2 years, early childhood starting from 3 to 8 years, preadolescence which lasts up to 13 years of age and finally adolescence which is commonly known as teenage (Rathus et al, 2005). Psychosexual development as outlined by Freud begins in early infancy, about the time we start learning how we “ought” to feel about our bodies, and our role as any specific gender. It manifests in infants need to be stroked and cuddled, due to which “healthy” psychosexual development occurs (Parrish, 2009).

Infancy and Childhood

From infancy to childhood, children learn about their bodies through different types of play related to sex. Although their sexual play is not inappropriate, or rather should not be deemed so, sometimes and in certain circumstances or places, it can be termed as improper. It is their way of experiencing “good” physical acts, and it is through these experiences that they learn the difference between “good” and “bad” touching. Moreover, children need to be taught this difference by their primary caretakers, via non-threatening actions and words (Bancroft, 2003).

Adolescence

Due to puberty, which is the biological stage signifying the beginning of hormonal changes in the body, reproduction becomes likely. Adolescence is known as the psychological stage of puberty, a time when growth occurs and all individuals experience much confusion when due to their bodies maturing faster in comparison to their intellectual and emotional aptitude (Jennings, 2003). Therefore, the traits of adolescents are determined through culture.

Girls begin developing secondary sexual characteristics between the ages of 7 and 14 due to pubertal changes. This includes experiencing several growth spurts, the development of their breasts, underarm and pubic hair, vaginal secretions and ...