Friday, June 17, 2011

Assignment: Sexuality at Different Life Stages



Anne:
I think that in Anne’s situation, one of the first things she needs to do is to make an educated decision about having sex. The responsibility is up to her, not her boyfriend and not her mother. One main thing that the therapist would discuss with Anne would be the emotional and physical consequences of having sexual intercourse. They should also evaluate together the relationship between Anne and her boyfriend to decide if her boyfriend is really taking advantage of Anne or not. From the sounds of it, he is putting un-needed pressures on Anne to have sex, and that is one thing she needs to think about; he is not only more mature than her, but he is also more experienced in sexual encounters. Like I mentioned before, the decision to have intercourse with her boyfriend is totally up to Anne. The therapist needs to discuss with Anne, that being an adolescent, she may not realize that there are different types of love, and she needs to be sure that it is actual love that she is in, and not lust, or infatuation while making her decision.
The therapist should touch onto Anne and her mother’s relationship. With Anne being an adolescent, in order for her to show her mother her maturity, she should be open with her mother as she decides to make decisions about sex. This is important in order to build a truthful and honest relationship with her mother. This can lead to Anne showing her mother that she can make smart decisions for herself, and that she is a mature young lady. While she is being open and honest with her mother, her mother should be open to hearing things like this happening in Anne’s life. Her mother needs to not be critical the way she has been. She can discuss her concerns, but “telling” Anne the decision she should make is not right. Just because her mother has anxiety about her daughter having sex, does not mean that Anne should be as anxious as her mother. With their newfound relationship, Anne and her mother should have a stronger bond between them, and it will give Anne a more comfortable situation when she needs advice on birth control, and information on STI’S. Maybe it would be a good idea, if Anne, her mother, and her boyfriend all sat down and talked about his intentions with Anne. It would give the mother some comfort to better understand why he chose to date an adolescent 3 years younger than him.
Tom and Susan:
The mental and physical problems in the situation of Tom and Susan go hand in hand. “Tom should be more at ease to know that a study of 65 healthy men ages 45 to 74 shows an age related decline in sexual desire, arousal, and activity.” Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J.S., and Fichner-Rathus, L.(2005). Tom needs to understand that his body is different than it was when he was younger, and his physical capabilities are not the same, but that does not mean he cannot please his wife just the same. The understanding of this is critical for Tom because he has to understand this before he will be able to release the anxiety he is feeling.
Toms’ biggest problem is probably that he will not be able to please his wife the way he used to and she will not love him anymore. If he would discuss his feelings and anxiety’s with his wife, he would find that this is not the case. The therapist should discuss the sexual exclusions as a couple and as individual’s. I think that Tom could profit from information regarding sexual activities and behaviors. With Tom and Susan being an elderly couple, they may not be physically able to do the things they used to do, but they are still capable of the intimacy, the foreplay, and coitus they used to be capable of.  There are sexual exercises that Tom can do to help improve his sexual stamina. Bodily ailments could improve with a liberator lamp (sexual instruments) that may show more contentment for the couple. This could range from a vibrator for Susan or a cock ring for Tom. If Tom and Susan can learn how to be more open with each other about their sexuality, they would find that they would benefit from their newfound openness, and this could aid them in their sexual activities. With Tom and Susan being a couple that has been together so long, they have grown comfortable in their relationship, and they probably have not talked about feelings like this before. This bond that they will build will deplete Tom’s anxiety and I think Tom will begin to exhibit a new found interest in sexual activity like Susan does!
Bill:
The first thing that needs to be discussed with Bill by his therapist is his uneasiness regarding sexual behavior. I think the therapist needs to inform Bill of his many different sexual choices that he has, and fully explain that his disability does not make him any different when it comes to having a healthy sexual relationship. He may not be able to achieve sexual arousal the same way other people do, but he is still has many sexual abilities. The therapist will see that Bill struggles with his sexuality most because of his disability, and like Tom and Susan’s therapist, Bill’s therapist could recommend the use of sexual tools that can help in making a more pleasurable sex life. According to Rathus, Nevid, and Fichner-Rathus “Couples facing the challenge of spinal cord injury may expand their sexual repertoire to focus less on genital stimulation (except to retain the reflexes of erection and lubrication) and more on the parts of the body that retain sensation.” Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J.S., and Fichner-Rathus, L.(2005). I think in this situation that the therapist needs to express the importance of being open and honest with his partner, and tell them how he is feeling about this situation. If he continues to keep these feelings all bottled up in side, it is only going to hurt him in the long run. It may continue to bother him so much that his anxiety will continue to grow and get worse. When he learns to be more open with his partner, and explain to them his anxieties, and why he is feeling this way, they can begin to learn how to accomplish sexual gratification in their relationship. The two things that are most important in all relationships would be honesty, and openness, and without them a relationship cannot survive. Telling your partner how you feel and the things that give you anxiety can help that partner to better understand how they need to commence with their everyday actions. It may be the slightest of change that the other person makes, but it can make all the difference in the world to how you view them from there. If Bill sees that his partner is trying more to accommodate his anxiety, and he begins to feel his partner being sexual in ways he can appreciate, he may just get over his anxieties quicker than he knows!



CheckPoint Sexuality in Childhood and Adolescence

Anything in RED I missed so pay attention!

*Your responses to this quiz should be submitted in a Word document.  You may simply number your paper and type the corresponding letter for items 1-16.  For item 17, you will provide a written response.
-Each Multiple Choice question is worth 1.25 points
-Item #17 is worth 5 points. 

1. Infants often engage in pelvic thrusting
A) at 8 to 10 months.
B) at 2 years old.
C) at 3 months.
D) never.

2.  Many boys experience their first erections
A) at birth.
B) in the womb.
C) at about four years old.
D) between the ages of six and eight.

3.  Kinsey and his colleagues noted that baby girls show behaviors that resemble adult orgasm by as early as
A) 1 month.
B) in utero.
C) 7 months.
D) 4 months.

4.  Parents who are unaware that masturbation is commonplace among children may
A) erroneously assume that children who masturbate are oversexed or aberrant.
B) pull a childs hands away and scold her or him.
C) fail to acknowledge the behavior openly.
D) all of the above

5.  At approximately what age to children commonly become interested in games of “show” or “playing doctor?”
A) 6 to 10 yrs
B) 1 to 2 yrs
C) 3 to 5 yrs
D) puberty

6.  Jeremiah is 10 years old. If he is typical of most preadolescents, he is likely to
A) prefer friendships with other boys.
B) begin to play in cross-integrated groups.
C) develop a close, platonic relationship with a girl.
D) be unconcerned about how his peers perceive him.





7.  Which of the following is typically found in children who were raised by homosexual parents?
A) increased incidence of homosexuality
B) confusion on gender roles for men and women
C) they are indistinguishable from children raised by heterosexual parents
D) more emotional instability

8.  Kinsey and his colleagues found that by the time children were 13,
A) most quit masturbating, only to resume the activity in adolescence.
B) 45% of males and 15% of females had masturbated.
C) 80% of males and 60% of females had masturbated.
D) equal numbers of males and females had masturbated.

9.  In surveys of adolescents sources of sexual information, the most frequently identified source is ________ .
A) parents
B) friends
C) sex education classes
D) brothers and sisters

10.  Including information in sexual education programs about sexual techniques and contraception
A) does not encourage more sexual activity among children who are already sexually active, but it may encourage sexual activity among inexperienced children.
B) holds the potential risk of increasing childrens curiosity about sex and their motivation to experiment with sexual behaviors.
C) does not encourage more sexual activity among children.
D) only increases the risk that children will engage in sexual behaviors in urban schools, but not in rural schools.

11.  Puberty begins with
A) the appearance of secondary sex characteristics.
B) the first ejaculation for boys.
C) menarche for girls.
D) the age of 8.

12.  Caleb has just experienced his first ejaculation. If he is typical of most boys, how old is he?
A) age 9
B) age 11
C) age 13
D) age 15

13.  What hypothesis suggests that girls must reach a certain body weight to trigger pubertal changes such as menarche?
A) critical fat hypothesis
B) pubertal weight hypothesis
C) estrogen cycle hypothesis
D) none of the above




14.  In pubescent boys, a temporary enlargement of the breasts is caused by
A) testosterone production.
B) inhibition production.
C) estrogen production.
D) interstitial cell (ISCH) production.

15.  Lai is 15 and pregnant. If she is typical of many teenage mothers, which outcome is likely?
A) She is likely to quit school and likely to become pregnant again before age 20.
B) She will probably complete high school but then go on public assistance.
C) If she completes high school, she will avoid poverty and become successful.
D) She is likely to quit school but not likely to become pregnant again until she can maintain a stable financial future.

16.  All of the following are factors that are associated with increased contraceptive use among sexually active teens EXCEPT?
A) having peers who use contraceptives
B) being older
C) limited communication with parents
D) better school performance


17.  In no less than 200 words, describe how parents typically react to childhood masturbation.  Discuss two ways in which parents should react to childhood masturbation.

When a child is caught by their parent, masturbating, there are a few different ways that the parent can handle the situation rather than “slapping the child’s hand” or even failing to acknowledge the behavior openly. Parents normally react thinking that it is not acceptable because that is more of an adult thing to do. They do not realize that it is something that feels very natural to their child, and their child is not doing it for the same reasons an adult would masturbate, or even play with themselves like an adult would.

First off, the parent needs to not interpret the child’s reflexes according to the adult’s concept of sexuality. This means that they need to understand that a child “masturbating” or “play with themselves” is not meant like in the world of the adult. They are simply learning to explore their bodies.

The second thing is when a parent scolds their child for masturbating, they are not teaching them anything. A child feels this to be a normal reaction to their body, and they do not really realize what they are doing.

When a parent catches their child masturbating they should first of all be open to the subject. Don’t try to tuck it away in a closet, and wait for them to become older in order to talk about it. They should learn how to openly discuss what is going on with their child’s body. They need to refrain from referring to the private parts as nicknames and openly discuss it with their child.


Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J.S., and Fichner-Rathus, L. (2005). Human sexuality in a world of diversity. (6thed.) Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

CheckPoint Methods of Contraception

Anything in red I missed!! So pay attention! 

*Your responses to this quiz should be submitted in a Word document.  You may simply number your paper and type the corresponding letter for items 1-14.  For item 15, you will provide a written response.
-Each Multiple Choice question is worth 1.5 points
-Item #15 is worth 4 points. 

1. The earliest versions of condoms consisted of sheaths made out of
A) poorly made rubber
B) leaves
C) animal intestine
D) papyrus

2.  In what year did Margaret Sanger establish the National Birth Control League?
A) 1876
B) 1899
C) 1904
D) 1914 

3.  Combination birth control pills work by
A) preventing the production of estrogen.
B) preventing the production of progesterone and thus ovulation.
C) preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus.
D) preventing the release of FSH and LH.

4.  After stopping the use of oral contraceptives, nine out of ten women begin ovulating regularly within
A) three weeks.
B) three months.
C) six months.
D) one year.

5.  The most popular form of birth control for single women of child-bearing age is
A) the condom.
B) the diaphragm.
C) the birth control pill.  
D) withdrawal.

6.  What is a potential benefit of the contraceptive patch over contraceptive pills?
A) the woman does not have to think about contraception daily
B) the woman is exposed to higher doses of hormones for more effective contraception
C) it is more likely to deliver hormones into the blood stream
D) it does not require putting any hormones into a womans body


7.  Which of the following forms of contraception also affords protection against contracting STIs?
A) minipill
B) the patch
C) Lunelle
D) None of these methods protect against the transmission of STIs.




8.  Suzanne uses a diaphragm, and after having a steamy encounter with a man at a party, she does not want to risk a pregnancy from a one-night-stand.  She decides to leave her diaphragm in place for a couple days. Which of the following is a possible result of this decision?
A) She will likely avoid pregnancy because the spermicide used with the diaphragm continue to kill sperm over time.
B) She is putting herself at risk of toxic shock syndrome by leaving the diaphragm in too long.
C) She may inadvertently increase her chances of pregnancy by failing to remove the mans ejaculate with the diaphragm immediately after intercourse.
D) Her decision is not what doctors recommend, but it may offer her psychological comfort and is harmless.

9.  What is the second most common contraceptive method?
A) emergency contraception
B) the diaphragm
C) injectable contraceptives
D) intrauterine devices

10.  Which is true about nonoxynol-9?
A) It does not protect against STIs and may increase the risk of HIV infection.
B) It is one of the most healthy forms of contraception.
C) It is a foamy substance inserted into the cervix with an applicator.
D) It provides direct protection from trichomoniasis.


11.  The most widely used birth control method among couples over the age of 30 in committed relationships is
A) sterilization.
B) the diaphragm.
C) condoms.
D) combination oral contraceptives.

12.  Hansel is considering becoming sexually active. He wants to use condoms to protect against the possibility of contracting an STI or HIV. Which type of condom should he use?
A) All types of condoms will protect from STI and HIV.
B) He should use skin condoms.
C) He should only use polyurethane condoms.
D) He should use latex condoms.

13.  Of the following lubricants, which is safe to use with a condom?
A) K-Y jelly
B) Vaseline
C) hand lotion
D) baby oil

14.  Female sterilization involves
A) the removal of the uterus and ovaries.
B) the removal of the uterus.
C) cutting and tying the fallopian tubes.
D) cutting the fallopian tubes and removing the ovaries.

15.  List 6 steps to male sterilization: During the procedure of a vasectomy there are six steps to ensure that it is done correctly: First the doctor must find and locate the vas deferens. Second, there is an injection of local anesthesia. Third, they make an incision over the vas deferens. Fourth, they isolate the vas from the rest of the tissue surrounding it. Fifth, they remove a segment of the vas deferens, and then they tie the ends. The last step is to return the vas to position, close the incision, and repeat steps on the other sack. It is recommended that the male return within a year to count the sperm and make sure that the vas deferens did not re-connect.
Rathus, S. A., Nevid, J.S., and Fichner-Rathus, L. (2005). Human sexuality in a world of diversity. (6th ed.) Boston: Allyn and Bacon.