Child and Adolescent Sexuality Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering developmental stages, pubertal milestones, LGBTQ concepts, sexual health education, and contraception based on lecture notes on child and adolescent sexuality.

Infancy

The developmental stage spanning from birth through age 2, during which physical responses such as erections and vaginal lubrication can occur.

"Show Me" Behavior

A behavior in which children show or look at one another's genitals out of curiosity.

Early Childhood

The developmental stage spanning ages 3 to 7, when children often show curiosity about how bodies work and how bodies differ.

Same-Age Sex Play

Body exploration or pretend play between children of similar ages.

Concerning Sexual Play

Sexual play between children that involves coercion, distress, a large age or power gap, or unsafe behavior.

Preadolescence

The developmental period from ages 8 to 12, characterized by interest in puberty, physical development, and cultural rules regarding sex and gender.

Puberty

The period when the body develops reproductive maturity.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Puberty changes that are not directly part of the reproductive organs, such as breast development, voice deepening, and body hair growth.

Menarche

The first menstrual period, which typically occurs later in the puberty sequence and does not always indicate that ovulation has occurred.

Semenarche

The first ejaculation of semen in males.

Adolescent Decision-Making

A developmental process where judgment and long-term planning develop more slowly than physical maturity, potentially leading to greater risk-taking or difficulty weighing consequences.

Gender-Affirming Care

Individualized, specialist-guided care that may be discussed during puberty for transgender youth experiencing conflict between body changes and their gender identity.

LGBTQ

An acronym standing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning.

"Coming Out"

Sharing one's sexual orientation or gender identity with others, which functions as an ongoing process with different people rather than a single event.

Adolescence

The developmental stage spanning from puberty through the early 20s.

Sexual Abstinence

Choosing not to engage in sexual activity.

Sexual Coercion

Pressure or force that removes a person's free choice.

Contraception

Methods used to prevent pregnancy.

Condom

A barrier device that helps prevent unintended pregnancy and reduces exposure to many STIs.

Immaturity of the Cervix

A biological factor that can increase STI susceptibility in teenage girls.

Abstinence-Only Sex Education

An educational approach that teaches the avoidance of sex as the primary prevention strategy.

Comprehensive Sex Education

An educational approach that teaches abstinence alongside contraception, STI prevention, and relationships; it increases contraception use and is associated with lower pregnancy and STI rates without increasing sexual experimentation.

Infant Genital Touching

A physical behavior driven by curiosity, comfort, or sensory exploration rather than adult-like sexual intent.

Early Childhood Privacy Rule

A social norm learned in early childhood establishing that private body parts should generally remain covered in public.

Early Childhood Pretend Play

Imaginative social play, such as acting out marriage or family roles, through which young children explore relationships.

Developmental Gap in Sexual Play

A significant difference in age or maturity between children that creates an unequal power balance and compromises the capacity for consent.

Female Secondary Sex Characteristics

Pubertal physical developments including breast development, the appearance of body curves, pubic hair growth, and overall height gains.

Male Secondary Sex Characteristics

Pubertal physical developments including voice deepening, facial and pubic hair growth, increased muscle mass, and growth spurts.

Onset of Sperm Production

A pubertal milestone that can occur early enough that biological pregnancy is possible before an adolescent appears physically mature.

Asynchronous Pubertal Growth

A developmental pattern in which different body parts grow at varying speeds, often causing temporary feelings of physical awkwardness.

Pubertal Timing Stress

Emotional distress or self-consciousness caused by maturing significantly earlier or later than one's peer group.

Family Rejection of LGBTQ Youth

Caregiver non-acceptance or hostility that significantly increases stress, isolation, and mental health risks.

Family Support for LGBTQ Youth

Caregiver acceptance and affirmation that fosters psychological well-being and reduces feelings of isolation.

LGBTQ Youth Suicide Risk Factors

Environmental and social conditions—such as rejection, harassment, and lack of physical or emotional safety—that elevate mental health and suicide risks.

Adolescent Masturbation

A common developmental behavior that varies widely in frequency and is correlated in research with exposure to sexually explicit material.

Factors Linked to Delaying Intercourse

Protective factors including open parent-child communication about sex and expectations, strong family connectedness, and religious involvement.

Non-Coercive Intercourse at Age 16+

Consensual sexual activity that developmental lecture notes identify as not inherently harmful.

U.S. Teen Pregnancy Trends

A substantial decline in rates since the early 1990s, despite rates remaining higher than in most other wealthy democracies.

Factors in Falling Teen Pregnancy Rates

The dual impact of increased, consistent contraception use alongside an overall decrease in adolescent sexual intercourse.

Outcomes Associated with Teen Motherhood

Socioeconomic challenges commonly linked with early parenthood, specifically lower average educational attainment and an increased risk of financial hardship.

Teen Bacterial STI Vulnerability Factors

Elevated infection risk resulting from high-risk behavioral exposure, limited prevention education, and biological factors such as cervical immaturity.

Primary Teen Pregnancy Prevention Strategy

The correct and consistent use of effective contraception.

Primary Teen STI Prevention Strategy

The correct and consistent use of condoms, regular medical screening, and accurate sexual health education.

School Condom Availability Programs

Public health initiatives providing barrier protection access in schools, which research shows does not lead to an increase in adolescent sexual activity.

Parent-Child Communication on Sexuality

An educational approach starting early that utilizes age-appropriate, direct language and proper terminology while linking physical facts to relationships, respect, and values.

Supporting Adolescent Decision-Making

A guidance method in which adults help teens navigate developing judgment by evaluating potential consequences and practicing problem-solving.