In 2011, 47% of high school students had sexual intercourse, and 15% of them reported having more than four partners. In 2009, an estimated 8,300 young people ages 13–24 were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2013). More than 1 in 4 teens who give birth are ages 15–17 (CDC, 2014). In 2005, 1 in 4 sexually active teens contracted a sexually transmitted disease, 29% of teens felt pressure to have sex, and 1 in 10 high school students reported having been forced to have sex (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2005). New studies are being developed to estimate current levels of sexual activity in adolescents. There are some indications that adolescents are waiting longer to have sex; by age 19, seven out of 10 adolescents have had sexual intercourse (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Sex is a prevalent issue among teens today, and many young people struggle with the vast issues that can evolve around sex. Clinicians must be familiar with the current trends and issues related to adolescent sexual behavior and must be able to address them effectively. In addition to sexual activity, sexual identity can be an issue among children and adolescents.
For this Discussion, review the case studies located in this week’s resources and select one case study from Case 1 and Case 2. Consider how the values of sex, sexuality, and sexual identity can adversely affect the child or adolescent in the case study.
With these thoughts in mind:
By Day 3
Post a brief description of the sex and sexuality case study you selected (Case 1 or Case 2). Then, identify two potential parent/guardian, school, or community values related to sex, sexuality, or sexual identity that might adversely affect the child or adolescent, and explain how. Explain one way you might support the child or adolescent in the case study. Finally, explain one way you would ensure that your personal values would not interfere with the counseling process. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your points.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the week’s resources.
Required Readings
As you review this article, focus on how family might support GLBT issues.
As you review this article, focus on how family acceptance is critical to the development of adolescents.
Document: DSM-5 Bridge Document: Sex, Sexuality, and Substance Abuse (PDF)
Use this document to guide your understanding of sex, sexuality, and substance abuse for this week’s Discussion and Assignment.
The case study
Child and Adolescent Counseling Cases: Sex, Sexuality, and Substance Abuse © 2014 Laureate Education, Inc.
Page 1 of 2 Week 9: Case 1, Sexuality Loretta is a 17-year-old white female. She is a student in a partial-day treatment center focusing on vocational and social skill development. Loretta has a wide range of disabilities related, at least in part, to a brain injury she suffered as a toddler. She has specific learning disabilities in the areas of writing and reading. Despite her challenges, Loretta is a hard worker. Because of her positive attitude and work ethic within the day treatment setting, Loretta has a good reputation for being dependable and trustworthy. However, over the past 6 months, Loretta has decided she likes sex. She has been caught having sexual contact at the treatment center and also at home in the evenings and on the weekends. This behavior is concerning to Loretta’s parents. They are worried about her sexual safety, potential pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and Loretta’s behavior is outside their comfort zone. They have tried lecturing, grounding her, and other threats and punishments. Loretta does not see anything wrong with her behavior. Apparently, the pleasure she associates with sex more than offsets the consequences she has gotten from her parents, and she seems relatively oblivious to the additional potential consequences of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
Week 9: Case 2, Sexual Orientation Patrick is a 9-year-old African American boy enrolled in the fourth grade in a private Christian school. Patrick is exceptionally intelligent and very academically successful. However, based on reports from his parents and from his teachers, he has always struggled in the social domain. Most recently, Patrick has been causing a disturbance in the classroom by telling teachers and students that one of the other male students in the class is his boyfriend and insisting that he loves boys, not girls. This behavior has been extremely difficult for his parents to accept as they hold a rather traditional Christian perspective. The thought of their son being gay is very disturbing for them. You initially were contacted by Patrick’s parents, who made it clear to you they think Patrick is acting out in an effort to gain attention from his peers. They also make it clear that they are either unwilling or unable to consider the possibility that Patrick might be gay. When the three of them show up in your office, the parents dominate the conversation and tell Patrick he needs to work with you to get things straightened out. Their goal is for you to work with Patrick so he will put a stop to his silly and disturbing claims of having romantic feelings for boys. Patrick refuses to offer any goals for counseling. When you meet with him alone, he slowly opens up and you end up somewhat convinced that this boy really does feel he is gay and likely needs to explore his sexual orientation, and yet you are at a loss as to how to work effectively with him and his parents.
