The decision to engage in sexual activity is one of the most important decisions a youth will make.  Unlike other voluntary activities, sexual activity has powerful effects upon each participant’s mind, emotions and physical body.  This decision can have life-long consequences ─ positive and negative.

With the onset of puberty comes a natural interest in and attraction for sexual activity.  Procreation and the propagation of human kind are rooted in this normal and natural drive.  The adolescent is confronted with the potentially life-changing decision of whether and when to indulge or resist this drive. This decision will be influenced by many factors in the child’s life, such as peer pressure, the entertainment media, societal standards, parental modeling, socioeconomic environment, and sex education at school and in the home.  The typical teen will ask, “Should I recreationally engage in sex to satisfy this drive, or is there any reason to save this pleasure for a greater purpose later in life.”  The answer to this question has individual and even societal consequences.

The following are topics related to when and whether to engage in sexual activity:

Incidence and Consequences of Sexual Activity

Benefits of Delaying Initiation of Sexual Activity

Effects of Cohabitation upon the Individuals and Couple

Sex Education in Schools

Suggestions for Parents and Teens

Commentary and News

On teen sex, 'practical' goes awry

Commentary: Mean Age of First Sex: Do they know what we mean?