[Preoccupation of young people with their sexuality].

PIP: Each adolescent in the transition from childhood to adulthood experiences crises, turning points which may be more or less profound and which may affect different individuals in different ways, until the corporal and psychic transition in complete. During the crises there may be modifications in mood, activity, and behavior. The crises are moments for changing direction or viewpoint, reviewing values, and making decisions. For most adolescents it is more helpful to provide company, guidance, and understanding while the crisis is in progress than it is to try to resolve the crisis directly. If the adolescent is not allowed to change, progress, and mature, be will remain fixated as a child in the body of an adult. Adolescents of both sexes are preoccupied by growth and physical changes in their bodies and by comparisons with others. Adolescent males are often concerned about the size of their genitalia and by the appearance of nocturnal emissions and erections, topics on which their fathers can provide reassurance. Adolescent females may be worried about menstruation and tend to be more interested than males in topics such as contraception, pregnancy, and delivery. Females worry more about their physical appearance and less about the development of their sex organs than males. Sexual development of females may be complicated by double standards of sexual behavior. Young females engaging in sexual activity are permanently worried about pregnancy and rejection, which may create insecurity and difficulty in intimate relationships. Adolescent females are concerned about their ability to establish and maintain satisfying marital relationships in the future.^ieng