Sexual self-control as essential to psychosocial maturity in adolescent males

Abstract

The current prevalence and cultural acceptance of pornography, habitual masturbation, recreational sex, cohabitation, and contraception use are likely to be impeding the development of psychosocial maturity in American adolescent males. As a consequence of these sexual practices, many young adult males have been unable to establish a true sense of self-agency or an ability to make long-term commitments, which has directly interfered with their ability to achieve a stable and firm personal identity. The purpose of this dissertation is two-fold: First, it presents psychological research and theory that supports the claim that these contemporary sexual practices significantly harm the psychological development of adolescent males; Second, it presents a theoretical proposition that the character strength of self-control may act as a potential solution to the underlying problems caused by these practices. Self-control enables self-agency and long-term commitment, both of which are essential to the formation of a personal identity and ultimately the development of psychosocial maturity (Greenberger & Sorensen, 1974; Schwartz, Cote, & Arnett, 2005). A practical application of self-control in a psychotherapeutic setting are also discussed (Baumeister & Schmeichel, 2004; Mischel & Ayduk, 2004).