title: Situating unusual child and adolescent sexual behavior in context.
abstract: There is a lack of scientific knowledge concerning what constitutes normal versus unusual sexual behaviors among minors. Clinical judgements in these cases often are clouded by unfounded sociocultural assumptions, personal biases, legal issues, and moral considerations. Current diagnostic nomenclature that is used commonly for adult sexual activities is inappropriately applied to minors. Considerations about unusual sexual interests (ie, frequency of sexual behaviors, difficulties controlling sexual expression,consent, nonheterosexual interests, much older or younger partners, atypical sexual stimuli, number of partners, and sexual abuse) are explored to provide perspective for evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, 1523 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA. docx2@ix.netcom.com
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: Peggy J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kleinplatz
authors.forename: Dino
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zuccarini
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Reiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010262:Paraphilic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011606:Psychosexual Development / Q000502:physiology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*