Adolescents’s Perception of Healthy Sexual Behavior: Containing Indonesian’s Philosophy of Life

The construct of healthy sexual behavior needs to consider the context in which the behavior will be applied by examining behavior based on a biopsychosocial-spiritual model approach. This study aims to describe the profile of adolescent healthy sexual behavior containing the Indonesian philosophy of life, both from the biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects. The research design used was the development of a descriptive method, involving 1855 public and private high school students in the city of Bandung, West Java. Data was revealed by using a questionnaire and processed qualitatively through theme analysis and quantitatively by using Paired Samples Test and Manova. Based on the data processing, it was revealed that the profile of healthy sexual behavior of adolescents with the status of high school students in the city of Bandung, more than half of them had healthy sexual behavior, but there were still students who had healthy sexual behavior in the medium category and only a small proportion in the low category. Based on the aspects, the general picture of healthy sexual behavior on the physical and spiritual aspects tends to be high, while the psychological and social aspects tend to be moderate. The standard deviation of each school is fairly even, with a range of 0.475 to 0.723. The standard deviation by age with a range of 12 to 20 years varied from 0.524 to a high of 1.491. The standard deviation by class is almost equivalent, i.e. 0.570 to 0.645. Descriptive data shows that in general counseling teachers have provided sexual guidance services related to adolescent sexual development, dating and gender roles, but none of them have provided guidance on healthy sexual behavior, or vice versa the dangers of homosexual sexual behavior for adolescents. The data also shows that only 1 in 12 Guidance and Counseling teachers or 8.33% have heard and understood sexual guidance containing indigenous values, namely Pancasila as the philosophy of life of the Indonesian nation.

The Association between Substance Abuse and Sexual Misconduct among Macau Youths

This study investigates how peer influence, school attachment, and substance abuse are related to sexual behavior, with particular interest in exploring the relationship between substance abuse and sexual misconduct, while using a stratified random sample of adolescents in Macau. Mediation analyses were employed. The results show that substance abuse, apart from susceptibility to peer influence and school attachment/commitment, was significantly related to sexual misconduct. Substance abuse was the best predictor of sexual misconduct, and it significantly mediated the relationship between susceptibility to peer influence, as well as school attachment and sexual misconduct. This reflects that the use of substances, including drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, can be viewed as a catalyst for triggering engagement in sexual misconduct. The implications of this study involve taking measures to reduce the rate of substance abuse as a way of decreasing sexual misconduct in adolescents. Future research directions in exploring the relationship between adolescent substance abuse and risky sexual behavior are discussed.

Congruity and Divergence in Perceptions of Adolescent Romantic Experience Between Chinese Parents and Adolescents

This qualitative research article explored the convergences and divergences of perceptions of adolescent romantic experience between a group of adolescents and parents in China. One-to-one, in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 adolescents (aged 15-18 years; 26 girls, 12 boys) and 27 parents (aged 40-52 years; 16 mothers, 11 fathers) from the urban areas of a northern Chinese city. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis and interpreted using a socio-ecological approach. Four major themes were identified: opportunities and risks, acceptable versus unacceptable sexual intimacy, generational difference, and girls’ vulnerability and “self-respect.” In these themes, congruity and divergence of perceptions were found between the groups of adolescents and parents. These perceptions were largely influenced by traditional cultural beliefs of education, sexuality, gender, and family as well as the current socio-cultural context of modernization and globalization in China. The findings provide implications regarding how to support both adolescents and parents in managing adolescent romantic experience for adolescent health-promoting romantic and sexual behaviors.

Listening for commissioning: A participatory study exploring young people's experiences, views and preferences of school-based sexual health and school nursing

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To explore the experiences, views and preferences of young people aged 11-19 years regarding school-based sexual health and school nursing to inform commissioning and delivery for one local authority area in England during 2015.

BACKGROUND

Promoting sexual health for young people remains a challenging, even controversial, but important public health issue. Concerns regarding accessibility, acceptability and efficacy in school-based sexual health and school nursing are evident in the literature. Additionally, a complex public health policy context now governs the funding, provision and delivery of sexual health and school nursing, which potentially presents further challenges.

DESIGN

A qualitative, participatory design was used to explore sexual health and school nursing. Data were generated from 15 focus groups (n = 74), with young people aged 11-19 years, in educational-based settings in one local authority area in England.

RESULTS

The resultant themes of visibility in relation to sexual health education and school nursing revealed both the complex tensions in designing and delivering acceptable and appropriate sexual health services for young people and the significance of participatory approaches.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows the importance of participatory approaches in working with young people to clearly identify what they want and need in relation to sexual health. The findings also confirm the ways in which school-based sexual health remains challenging but requires a theoretical and conceptual shift. This we argue must be underpinned by participatory approaches.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

School nurses have always had a significant role to play in promoting positive sexual health for young people and they are exceptionally well placed to challenge the risk-based cultures that frequently dominate school-based sexual health. A shift of debates and practices towards the promotion of positive sexual health cultures though previously argued for now requires the active engagement and involvement of young people.

Contextual influence of Taiwanese adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavioral intent

This study examined parental, peer, and media influences on Taiwanese adolescents' attitudes toward premarital sex and intent to engage in sexual behavior. Participants included a convenience sample of 186 adolescents aged 13-15 recruited from two middle schools in Taiwan. Parental influence was indicated by perceived parental disapproval toward premarital sex and perceived peer sexual behavior was used to measure peer influence. Media influence was measured by the adolescents' perception of whether the media promotes premarital sex. We conducted structural equation modeling to test a hypothesized model. The findings suggested that the perceived sexual behavior of peers had the strongest effect on Taiwanese adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavioral intent, while parental disapproval and media influence also significantly contributed to adolescents' sexual attitudes and intent to engage in sex. School nurses are in an ideal position to coordinate essential resources and implement evidence-based sexually transmitted infection and HIV/AIDS prevention interventions that address issues associated with the influence of parents, peers, and media.