Teenagers who refrain from having sex may experience social, emotional consequences.

摘要

The researchers note that their results may not be widely generalizable and that the limited number of potential consequences they studied "may not describe adolescents' full experiences." Furthermore, they acknowledge that they cannot determine whether teenagers who reported refraining from sexual activity were practicing abstinence, selectively rejected sexual encounters or simply lacked opportunity. Nonetheless, they conclude, their findings underscore that "refraining from sexual behavior has emotional and social consequences." Therefore, they write, comprehensive sex education should include instruction that "may promote decisions to refrain from sexual activity that feel rewarding, and decisions to engage in sexual activity that are based on maturity and perceived readiness.