Perception of Sexuality and Body Image among Adolescent Girls

Sneha Parve; Aritra Bose; Pratik Chide

Sneha Parve Department of Community Medicine, Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Aritra Bose Department of Community Medicine, Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Pratik Chide Department of Pathology, Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Keywords: Body Changes, Adolescent, Sexuality, Body Image

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a phase during which major developments of sexuality take place. Development of sexuality is an important bio-psycho-social development, which takes an adult shape during this period.
Objective: To study how adolescent girls perceive changes in their bodies during the growing period of adolescence and to study their sexual behaviour during this period.
Methodology: The study was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among adolescent girls undergoing vocational training course at the rural health center. 100 participants enrolled in the institute for the course were included. A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared with informed assent. One to one interviews were conducted maintaining privacy, Data were statistically analysed using SPSS version 23.
Results: The mean age of the study participants was 16.02+/-1.2 years. We found that a prior awareness of menses is significantly related to a good feeling after menarche. About a third of the Community Health Workers (CHWs) felt shy or weird about their breast changes during adolescence and 66% were unhappy about their heights. 66% of the adolescents were practising masturbation and 38% among them were open to a physical relationship. 60% of them were not aware of medical intervention and 28% admitted to having experienced sexual assault.
Conclusion: Understanding adolescent development and the factors influencing it is of utmost importance as it will help the parents to guide their children in the crossroads of adolescence. Due to incomplete knowledge, accepting bodily changes during adolescence becomes difficult. We, as public health experts, need to commit to an educative practice of support for adolescents.

How to cite this article:
Parve S, Bose A, Chide P. Perception of Sexuality and Body Image among Adolescent Girls. Ind J Youth Adol Health. 2021;8(1):22-26.

References

Hawkins JD, Catalano RF, Kosterman R, Abbott R, Hill KG. Preventing adolescent health-risk behaviors by strengthening protection during childhood. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999 Mar;153(3):226-34. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner [Internet]. [cited 2021 July 18]. Available from: www.censusindia.gov.in

World Health Organization [Internet]. Adolescent health; [cited 2021 July 18]. Available from: https://www.who.int/southeastasia/activities/adolescenthealth

National Health Mission [Internet]. [cited 2021 July 18]. Available from: www.nrhmhp.gov.in

Kar SK, Choudhury A, Singh AP. Understanding normal development of adolescent sexuality: A bumpy ride. J Hum Reprod Sci. 2015 Apr-Jun;8(2):70-4. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Harris AL. Media and technology in adolescent sexual education and safety. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2011;40(2):235-42. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Ott MA. Examining the development and sexual behavior of adolescent males. J Adolesc Health. 2010;46(4 Suppl):S3-S11. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Juli MR. Perception of body image in early adolescence. An investigation in secondary schools. Psychiatr Danub. 2017 Sep;29(Suppl 3):409-15. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Ruble DN, Brooks-Gunn J. The experience of menarche. Child Dev. 1982;53(6):1557-66. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Hutchinson AD, Prichard I, Ettridge K, Wilson C. Skin tone dissatisfaction, sun exposure, and sun protection in Australian adolescents. Int J Behav Med. 2015 Aug;22(4):435-42. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Reinau D, Meier C, Gerber N, Hofbauer GF, Surber C. Sun protective behaviour of primary and secondary school students in North-Western Switzerland. Swiss Med Wkly. 2012;142:w13520. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Zhang Y, Li T, Yao R, Han H, Wu L, Wu X, Gao H, Sun L, Fu L. Comparison of body-image dissatisfaction among Chinese children and adolescents at different pubertal development stages. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2020;13:555-62. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Fortenberry JD, Schick V, Herbenick D, Sanders SA, Dodge B, Reece M. Sexual behaviors and condom use at last vaginal intercourse: a national sample of adolescents ages 14 to 17 years. J Sex Med. 2010 Oct;7(Suppl 5):305-14. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Halpern CT, Waller MW, Spriggs A, Hallfors DD. Adolescent predictors of emerging adult sexual patterns. J Adolesc Health. 2006 Dec;39(6):926.e1-10. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Munakampe MN, Zulu JM, Michelo C. Contraception and abortion knowledge, attitudes and practices among adolescents from low and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2018 Nov;18(1):909. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Hounton S, Barros AJ, Amouzou A, Shiferaw S, MaÃ¯ga A, Akinyemi A, Friedman H, Koroma D. Patterns and trends of contraceptive use among sexually active adolescents in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria: evidence from cross-sectional studies. Glob Health Action. 2015 Nov 9;8:29737. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]