Although masturbation is now accepted as normal and petting is permitted, sexual intercourse between adolescents remains a matter of considerable concern both to parents and to the adolescents themselves. While some parents accept that their children will have sexual intercourse and only seek to suggest that it is sexually damaging and irresponsible to put the girl in danger of becoming pregnant, or of either partner becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease, most parents disapprove of pre-marital sexual intercourse, especially for girls.

This creates a dilemma for many adolescents. Their parents’ values about sex may differ considerably from those of their peers, and when the parent is perceived as being non-permissive, the adolescent is increasingly influenced by the values of his peers which are likely to be more permissive. This can cause guilt about deceiving parents, and fear should the parents find out. Many parents promote and instil values which reduce sexual permissiveness; many peer values, and the emotional experiences of dating, promote sexual permissiveness.

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