3 Sections of your brochure 1.Teenage Sexual Behavior – Rate of Teenage Sexual Activity – Influences on early sexual activity – Consequences of early sexual activity 2.Teenage Drug Use – Drug Violence – Rate of Teenage Drug Use – Influences on Teenage Drug Use – Teen attitudes toward drug use 3.Teenage Suicide – Sociological View of Suicide – Predictors of Teen Suicide

Teenage Sexual Behavior Small preindustrial societies - permit adolescents to engage in sex before marriage. Western countries-traditional sexual values include strict norms against premarital sexual activity. 1960s and 1970s-birth control, a youth counterculture, and feminist movement led to the “sexual revolution.” Norms governing sexual behavior began to change during this revolution. Advertisers have been using sex to sell products for years. ___________________.

The Rate of Teenage Sexual Activity Survey data from _the CDC_ indicates that: 29 % of unmarried American females between ages were sexually active in By 1995 the rate of sexual activity had increased 50%. Teenage child bearing showed a similar pattern. – 1970: 22 births per 1,000 unmarried teen females – 1996: 43 per 1,000 – 1990s: steady drop since 1990s American birthrate among teens is higher than in other industrialized countries. During the 1990s – Teen sexual activity declined. – Use of teenage birth control increased. – Teen-pregnancy rate fell.

Influences on Early Sexual Activity List the social and economic factors that influence teenage sexual activity: 1. Family income 2. Parents’ marital status 3. Religious Participation

Consequences of Early Sexual Activity Less than 1/3 of American teenage women whoa are sexually ative use birth control. About 1 million teen women get pregnant each year The negative effects of teen pregnancy are: 1. Lower birth weights, higher mortality rate 2. Parents less likely to finish high school 3. Parents have lower lifetime earnings 4. More likely to experience learning difficulties 5. More likely to become teen parents themselves 6. Emotional stress

Consequences of Early Sexual Activity Cont’d Even when pregnancy doesn‘t occur, early sexual activity can have negative health effects. – STD examples: Syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, AIDS – 4 million American teens contract an STD each year. – 50% of new HIV infections occur among people younger than 25 years old.

Teenage Drug Use Drug: any substance that changes mood, behavior, or consciousness Drugs exist in many forms, including medicine, alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, & heroin. Drug use has a long history: Greeks smoked opium, Aztecs used hallucinogens. In US heroin & cocaine used recreationally until early 1990s

Drug Violence Examples of drug-related crimes: muggings, robberies, and burglaries During the mid-1990s 1,000 drug murders each year. Foot soldiers: lower level gang members who traffic the drugs (usually kids and teens) Crack cocaine: highly addictive smokable cocaine Arrests in 1998 for teenage drug-abuse violations: more than 200,000 juveniles arrested

Rate of Teenage Drug Use Has marijuana use increased or decreased? Stayed about the same since 1997 What drug are teens least likely to use? Least likely to use heroin What is the most popular? Why? Alcohol is the most popular because…

Influences on Teenage Drug Use Factors associated with regular use of drugs by teens: 1. Friends who use regularly 2. Adjustment problems (socially, academically) 3. Hostile & rejecting family setting Teenage Attitudes Toward Drug Use Seniors’ attitudes towards… Marijuana Cigarettes Cocaine Alcohol

Teenage Suicide Rate of suicide among teens has more than doubled in the past 3 decades. In 1997: A youth suicide every 2 hours-4,000 a year Suicide is third only to accidents and homicides. In 1999 the CDC questioned high schoolers on suicide. – 8% of students: attempted suicide – 20%: considered suicide – 14%: made a plan

Sociological view of suicide Sociologists acknowledge that suicide is an act committed by indivuals. Emile Durkheim: said suicide gives us a measure of social integration. Social integration: the degree of attachment people have to society – In Durkheim’s view, high levels of integration can lead to increased rates because of people placing needs of group above their own.

Predictors of Teen Suicide 1. Drug use 2.Triggering events 3. Age 4. Sex 5. Population density 6. Family relations 7. Cluster effect Teenage-suicide rates are influenced by same factors that affect suicide rates in adult populations.