Experiences of puberty development.
This paper presents some of the findings from a study regarding sex education which I have conducted with 500, 14-16 year-old pupils in a school district in the southern part of Denmark. The specific focus of the paper is on the pupils' experiences of puberty development; both the physical and psychological transformations undergone and the differences in the experiences of boys and girls. The psycho-social aspects of menstruation and the relative importance of various sources of sex information are also discussed. The findings show that the pupils have a stronger need and desire for sex education which emphasizes the psycho-social dimensions of puberty development than specific technical information. It is therefore suggested that sex education place more emphasis upon these psycho-social dimensions and that this may influence the promotion of more responsible sexual behavior.