Black Female Adolescents’ Sexuality: Pleasure Expectancies, Sexual Guilt, And Age Of Sexual Debut

Posted on June 01, 2023

Sexuality Education Cover

Shemeka Thorpe, PhD,  Amanda Tanner,  Tracy R. Nichols, Ph.D., Arielle Kuperberg,  Erica Payton Foh

American Journal Of Sexuality Education

Black Female Adolescents’ Sexuality: Pleasure Expectancies, Sexual Guilt, And Age Of Sexual Debut

Volume 16, Issue 2, p. 199 -220

This study examined individual and familial influences on Black female adolescents’ (N = 1426) sexual pleasure expectancies, sexual guilt, and age of sexual debut using data from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent to Adult Health. Results indicated significant differences between Black female adolescents that were sexually active and those that were not. Religious importance, having a residential father, and perceived pubertal timing were significantly associated with sexual guilt and pleasure expectancies. Religious importance and perceived pubertal timing were also associated with later ages of sexual debut. These results have implications for sexuality education and future research using sex positive and intimate justice frameworks.

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