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Sexual Maturation

This document discusses sexual maturation in girls and boys during puberty. It describes the physical changes that occur, such as breast and genital development, as well as other changes like growth of pubic and body hair. It also examines the psychological impacts of these changes, such as concerns about appearance in girls and positive reactions to physical changes in boys. Finally, it notes some social consequences of teenage sexuality like increased risks of pregnancy and STDs.

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NORHAMIDAH AYUNAN
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46 views15 pages

Sexual Maturation

This document discusses sexual maturation in girls and boys during puberty. It describes the physical changes that occur, such as breast and genital development, as well as other changes like growth of pubic and body hair. It also examines the psychological impacts of these changes, such as concerns about appearance in girls and positive reactions to physical changes in boys. Finally, it notes some social consequences of teenage sexuality like increased risks of pregnancy and STDs.

Uploaded by

NORHAMIDAH AYUNAN
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sexual Maturation

and the Psychological


Impacts of Puberty

Dr. Hazel Bliss G. Mediodia


Maturation of the reproductive
system occurs at roughly the same
time as the adolescent growth spurt
and follows a predictable sequence
for girls and boys.
Sexual Development
About this template in Girls

• For most girls, sexual maturation begins


at about age 9 to 11 as fatty tissue
accumulates around their nipples,
forming small “breast buds” (Herman-
Giddens et al., 1997; Pinyerd & Zipf,
2005).
• Full breast development, which takes
about 3 to 4 years, finishes around age
14 (Pinyerd & Zipf, 2005).
• Usually pubic hair begins to appear a
little later, although as many as one-
third of all girls develop some pubic hair
before their breasts begin to develop
(Tanner, 1990).
• As a girl enters her growth spurt, the
breasts grow rapidly and the sex
organs begin to mature. Internally,
the vagina becomes larger, and the
walls of the uterus develop a
powerful set of muscles that may one
day be used to accommodate a fetus
during pregnancy and to push it
through the cervix and vagina during
the birth process.
Sexual Development in Boys

◉ For boys, sexual maturation begins at about 11 to


12 (9.5 to 13.5) with an enlargement of the testes
(Pinyerd & Zipf, 2005). The growth of the testes is
often accompanied or soon followed by the
appearance of unpigmented pubic hair (Pinyerd
& Zipf, 2005).
◉ As the testes grow, the scrotum also grows; it
thins and darkens, and descends to its pendulous
adult position (Pinyerd & Zipf, 2005).
◉ Meanwhile, the penis lengthens and widens. At
about age 13 to 14½, sperm production begins
Sexual Development in Boys

◉ By the time the penis is fully developed at age


14½ to 15, most boys will have reached puberty
and are now capable of fathering a child (Tanner,
1990).
◉ Somewhat later, boys begin to sprout facial hair,
first at the corners of the upper lip, then on the
sides of the face, and finally on the chin and
jawline
◉ Body hair also grows on the arms and legs,
although signs of a hairy chest may not appear
until the late teens or early 20s, if at all.
Sexual Development in Boys

◉ Another hallmark of male sexual maturity is a


lowering of the voice as the larynx grows and the
vocal cords lengthen. In fact, many men may
laugh (years later) about hearing their voices
“cracking” up and down between a squeaky
soprano and a deep baritone, sometimes within a
single sentence.
Physical and Sexual Maturation

Both boys and girls.


◉ Pubic hair development is similar
for both girls and boys.
◉ The first growth of hair produces
long, soft hair that is only in a
small area around the genitals.
◉ This hair then becomes darker
and coarser as it continues to
spread.
◉ Over time the pubic hair looks
like adult hair, but in a smaller
area. It may spread to the thighs.
It sometimes goes up the
stomach.
Psychological Impacts of Puberty
Girls’ reactions to their changing bodies

◉They hope to be attractive.


◉ They worry about their weight.
◉ Their reactions to menarche
are mixed.
Boys’ reactions to their changing bodies

◉They have better body images


than girls.
◉ They are somewhat more
positive about their first
ejaculation than girls are about
menarche.
• The hormonal changes of puberty bring
about an increase in sex drive and the
responsibility of managing one’s
sexuality.
• This transition may be particularly difficult
for teenagers who are sexually attracted
to same-sex peers.
• Sexual attitudes have become
increasingly liberal over the years.
• A majority of adolescents now think that
sex with affection is acceptable.
• Teenage sexual activity has increased,
more for girls than for boys.
• Large numbers of sexually active
teenagers fail to use contraception
regularly.
• This increases the risk of contracting
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or
becoming pregnant.
• Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing
represent a major social problem
Teenage mothers:
• are often poor and ill-prepared
psychologically to be parents; and
• often drop out of school and perpetuate
their economic disadvantage.
• Poor teenage parenting contributes to the
emotional problems and cognitive
deficiencies that children of teenage
parents often display.

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