Adolescent sexual behaviour at 15-17 years: parent education guide
Teksto dydis: +1, +2, normalus.- Sexual behaviour is part of overall development in adolescence.
- At 15-17 years, overall development often includes exploration of identity, interest in relationships, and sexual experimentation.
- You can support healthy behaviour by creating a healthy family environment, talking early and often, and handling inappropriate behaviour calmly.
- Some adolescent sexual behaviour is harmful. You should seek professional advice about this behaviour.
On this page:
- Typical sexual behaviour at 15-17 years
- How to support healthy behaviour: tips for parents
- What to do about harmful behaviour: advice for parents
- Where parents can get help for harmful behaviour in young people aged 15-17 years
- More information for parents about sexual development
Typical sexual behaviour at 15-17 years
Sexual behaviour is part of young people’s overall development in adolescence.
At 15-17 years, young people’s development is all about working out who they are and where they fit in the world. They’re exploring identity, style, attraction and social dynamics. They might try out different clothing styles, music or friendship groups. At this age, young people are also developing more mature sexual feelings and learning what feels right for them. Some young people might experiment sexually, alone or with others. Others might have no interest in sexual behaviour or romantic relationships.
Like all behaviour, sexual behaviour is also shaped by young people’s social relationships, cultural backgrounds and personal experiences.
What to expect at 15-17 years: curiosity and experimentation
Here’s some developmentally typical behaviour that you might be aware of at this age. Your child might:
- masturbate in private for sexual pleasure
- think about values, beliefs and comfort levels around sex and relationships
- have intimate relationships, show sexual affection and have consensual sex with same-age peers
- explore sexual interests through erotic materials, including pornography.
Why do young people behave this way at 15-17 years?
Your child might behave in these ways because it feels good. They might also do it because they:
- enjoy sexual affection and mutual sexual experiences
- are working out social and sexual relationships
- are exploring their identity.
Children start developing sexually from birth, and sexual behaviour is part of this development. Sexual development is a lifelong process that includes physical changes like puberty and the beliefs that young people develop about bodies, relationships, gender and sexuality.
How to support healthy behaviour: tips for parents
Create a healthy family environment
Children start learning about healthy behaviour from birth, and they learn by watching how you and other adults communicate and behave. Young people also learn from their friends and peers and from things they see on TV and online, and in movies, books, magazines and so on.
This means you can create a family environment that encourages healthy sexual behaviour by:
- being a role model for respectful relationships, with others
- ensuring your child understands sexual consent
- looking at your family’s attitudes to gender
- helping your child check the quality of the apps, games, TV, movies and online videos they engage with
- ensuring your child is aware of and understands online safety risks, including risks related to pornography and sexting.
Talk often
At 15-17 years, one of the best ways to support healthy sexual behaviour is talking and listening. When you talk with your child, it’s important to show that you understand that sex and sexuality and romantic relationships can be complex, fun and confusing for young people.
This can help your child feel confident and comfortable about coming to you for honest and reliable information. It can also help your child make positive, safe and informed choices, now and in the future.
You can use everyday moments or examples from TV shows, movies, books and media stories to get conversations started.
Handle inappropriate behaviour in an understanding way
Young people will sometimes behave in ways that aren’t appropriate. If this happens with your teenage child, start by explaining your concerns and expectations for respectful and safe behaviour. For example, your child might be sending and receiving sexually explicit text messages and photos. You can help your child recognise risks they might not have considered and understand legal consequences. You can also let them know that they can come to you if they’re worried about anything.
What to do about harmful behaviour: advice for parents
Sometimes sexual behaviour in teenagers aged 15-17 years isn’t what’s expected for their developmental stage. This behaviour is called harmful sexual behaviour.
What is harmful behaviour at 15-17 years?
Harmful sexual behaviour in young people aged 15-17 years might include:
- masturbating so much that it interferes with other activities, masturbating in ways that injure their genitals, or masturbating in public
- sharing or threatening to share sexual images without consent
- taking sexual images or videos of others without consent
- watching pornography so often that it interferes with daily functioning, or watching violent, aggressive or illegal sexual content
- using sexual language to intimidate, frighten or humiliate others
- engaging in sexual behaviour that puts their safety at risk – for example, having sex when affected by alcohol or other drugs
- engaging in sexual activity that involves clear power differences – for example, exchanging sex for popularity, safety, money or goods
- engaging in dangerous or life-threatening sexual behaviour, like strangulation.
Why does harmful behaviour happen at 15-17 years?
Teenagers aged 15-17 years might behave in sexually harmful ways for many reasons. For example, it might happen because they’re:
- being coerced
- experiencing trauma, violence or other forms of abuse, including child sexual abuse
- repeating things they’ve seen in pornography or adult sexual activity without understanding the effects on others.
Some neurodivergent teenagers or those who have learning difficulties and disorders or difficulties with impulse control, social skills or rules can also be more vulnerable to engaging in harmful sexual behaviour.
At this age, some sexual behaviour can have legal consequences. This includes behaviour that is coercive, non-consensual or involves a younger child, or that includes sharing sexual images without consent.
Where parents can get help for harmful behaviour in young people aged 15-17 years
If you’ve noticed your child engaging in harmful sexual behaviour or you’re worried that they are, seek support and professional help.
A GP is a good place to start. The GP can refer you to an experienced health professional who can help you understand what’s happening and how you can help your child.
More information for parents about sexual development
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