Reconceptualizing Adolescent Sexual Behavior

conceptualized in a negative and pro blematic context,” with the intent of preventing diseases and unplanned pre gn a n c i e s .5 For these and other re a s o n s , adolescent sexuality is typically conceptualized and studied as a dichotomy: Adolescents have had sex or they have not. H o w e v e r, the dichotomous sex–no sex view does not take into account the psychological and social context in which sexual behavior occurs—for example, such factors as whether an adolescent has had one partner or many, how long the young people have known each other, whether alcohol is used at the time of a sexual encounter and the age diff e rence between p a r t n e r s .6 As a result, this view limits the ability of programs, educators and others to prevent teenagers from engaging in risky behaviors.7 A broader conceptualization of adolescent sexual experiences will improve the understanding of adolescent sexuality and aid in preventing risky sexual behaviors. In this article, we examine social, psychological and behavioral diff e re n c e s a c ross an expanded typology of adolescent sexual experience. A typology advanced by Miller and colleagues considers the readiness to engage in sex among adolescents who have not Daniel J. Whitaker is re s e a rch psychologist and Kim S. Miller is re s e a rch sociologist, both at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. Leslie F. Clark is associate pro f e s s o r, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Reconceptualizing Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Beyond Did They or Didn’t They?