Sexual Behavior Work

What are your religious, moral, and/or personal values regarding relationships and sex?
When do you think it is right to start having sexual relationships–under what
circumstances and with whom? Where do you think your ideas come from? Do you feel
comfortable describing your values to others?
I draw my values regarding relationships and sex from my religion and parenting. I
believe that sex should be between two people who are either in a romantic relationship or
marriage. In terms of age, the sexual partners should be over 18 years. Even though I strongly
believe in these values, I am often uncomfortable describing them to others because they
seem to be a little old-fashioned and I fear being ridiculed for them from my peers.
Would you like to be involved in a long-term relationship someday? If so, when? If you
are currently involved in such a relationship, is it something that you always imagined
you would have?
I would like to be involved in a long-term relationship with someone that I love. I
would prefer that I get involved in such relationship after I am done with my studies.
Do you want to have children? If so, when and how many? How would you feel if you
found out you couldn’t have children?
I would love to have to children because I really love children. Two to three children
will be enough for me. I would certainly feel bad if I found out that I cannot have children
because I have always wanted to start a family and have children at some point in my life.

3
What are your major priorities and goals at this time? How would a sexual relationship
fit in with these priorities and goals? Would it help you achieve your goals, detract from
your efforts, or have no real effect?
At the moment, my priority is to complete my studies. However, I do not believe that
a sexual relationship will have any major effect on my current priorities.
How does your current sexual behavior fit in with your values and life plan? How does
that make you feel? If you are currently acting in any way that is counter to your values
or goals, consider why that is so?
My current sexual behavior is in line with my values and life plan which include a
belief that sex should be between two people who are over 18 and who are in a relationship or
marriage.
Have you just not thought about how your current behavior could affect your future?
Or are you feeling pressure from yourself, your partner, or some other source?
I constantly think about the likely impact of my current sexual behaviors on my
future. Mistakes committed can have major negative effects on my future. For instance,
contracting a sexually transmitted disease now can have serious long-term effects on my
future plans. That is why I strive to resist any pressure from my partner and friends about
engaging in risky sexual behaviors that may cause me future regrets.

4

Reference Page for Teenage Pregancy Project

Akella, D., & Jordan, M. (2014). Impact of social and cultural factors on teenage
pregnancy. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 8(1), 3.
The two researchers used Bandura’s Learning Theory to examine some of the external
factors that contribute to teenage pregnancies especially among African Americans. Using
qualitative research methods that involved twenty African American teenage mothers, the
researchers concluded that there was a direct relationship between parental education, culture,
socio-economic status and teenage pregnancy. Therefore, the study confirmed Bandura’s
Learning Theory because it showed that the behaviors and decision-making of teenage
mothers were based on what they had learnt from their parents, other family members, and
culture.
Jones, C., Whitfield, C., Seymour, J., & Hayter, M. (2019). ‘Other Girls’: A Qualitative
Exploration of Teenage Mothers’ Views on Teen Pregnancy in
Contemporaries. Sexuality & Culture, 23(3), 760-773.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-019-09589-4.
The researchers examined attitudes of teenage mothers towards other teenage
mothers. Through use of interviews involving teenage mothers aged between 16-19, the
researchers found that teenage mothers have generally negative attitudes towards other
teenage mothers. The researchers concluded that the negative portrayal of teenage pregancy
in the wider society could be responsible for the stigma that is attached to teenage pregancy
even by teenage mothers themselves.
Lehr, M., Wecksell, B., Nahum, L., Neuhaus, D., Teel, K. S., Linares, L. O., & Diaz, A.
(2016). Parenting stress, child characteristics, and developmental delay from

5
birth to age five in teen mother–child dyads. Journal of Child and Family
Studies, 25(3), 1035-1043.
The study examined the relationship between developmental delays of children
between birth and age five and the stress levels of their teenage mothers. In the study
involving 133 mothers, the researchers found that children born by teenage mothers were at
risk of various development delays that include personal-social development, problem-
solving, and fine motor. The researchers found that these development delays were directly
related to the teenage mother’s stress levels rather than their age.
Walker, D. A., & Holtfreter, K. (2019). Teen Pregnancy, Depression, and Substance
Abuse: The Conditioning Effect of Deviant Peers. Deviant Behavior, 1-16. DOI:
10.1080/01639625.2019.1666610.
The reseachers used the General Strain Theory (GST) in their study of the likelihood
of teenage mothers to engage in deviant and criminal behavior. According to GST,
individuals who experience strains in their lives are likely to engage in deviant and criminal
behaviors. Considering teenage pregnancy as a strain or stressful state, the researchers
conducted a study involving 5,236 teenage girls to examine the relationship between stress
resulting from teenage pregnancy and the likelihood of the teenagers to engage in deviant and
criminal behaviors. The researchers found that there was a direct relationship between
teenage pregnancy, depression, and substance use.