Let’s taLk about
sex…Part II
David Campbell, PhD
Associate Professor of Health Education
Concord University
Rules of governance when discussing
“sex” with adolescents
• Developmentally appropriate language
• Show the conversation respect by using AGE
appropriate terminology
• No such thing as a dumb question:
• Consider their sources of information/misinformation
• They WILL be embarrassed because they just don’t
know
• We can typically categorize questions three ways:
1.
2.
3.
Requests for information
Questions of normalcy
Permission-seeking
Rules of governance when discussing “sex”
with adolescents(cont.)
• Create a “safe zone” for Q & A
• remember, no matter what you do…you are still a “dork!”
• episodic/individualized phenomenon
• No personal…
• stories/anecdotes
• don’t speak in code
• Try to intellectually….their questions
• clarify
• rationalize
• analyze
• It is ok to say I Do Not KNOW!
2011 YRBSS – Trend Analysis Report
• http://wvde.state.wv.us/healthyschools/docu
ments/2011WVHTrendReport_000.pdf
Birth rates
• http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db
89_tables.pdf
Big Picture: when ‘educating’
remember the following…
• Do NOT be intimidated
• they smell fear…and anxiety
• you set the tone and dialogue tenor
• Pubescent Development and Sex ARE NOT the same
thing
• socio ecological sphere of influence
• The desire for sexual gratification is normal!
• cultural we screw kids up with this.
• Anatomical terminology is NOT sex talk
• do you find the elbow erotic?
• Sex is best viewed as a complex interaction of:
• Biological Factors
• Psychological Factors
• Sociocultural Factors
Big Picture: when planning for 'educating’
remember the following…(cont.)
•
Clearly define S*X education
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Paucity of dialogue between care givers and children
Abstinence vs. Abstinence Based/Plus
Passive vs. Active Permission Process
Target Audience characteristics…how much to cover and when
•
•
•
•
•
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Family planning?
Growth and Development?
Sex Education?
YRBSS Data
HEAP Data
Known infection rates
Teen Pregnancy Rates
Pretest information
Community Characteristics
•
You must consider the cultural climate in which you work/live
- Finally Clarify your objective…What is the purpose of your
educational treatment/intervention
Reduce?
Eliminate?
Encourage?
More than anything else, this will drive the design
of what you are doing
Contact Information
David Campbell, PhD
Associate Professor of Health Education
Chair, Department of Human Performance
Concord University
304-384-5331
dcampbell@concord.edu