This symposium will address some of the multiple dangers that can be threatening to an adequate sexual development in children and adolescents. In the first presentation, a general panoramic view will be carried out on the development of sexuality throughout our life cycle and how at each age the sexual needs of the children and adolescents change, from the acquisition of gender identity over to getting to know their own bodies and their own sexual impulses, acquisition of sexual information, development of sexual orientation, the beginning of self-erotic sexual activity and relations with other people, prevention of STI´s and unintended pregnancies, using pornography, cybersex, sexual complexes and desires, sexism and other negative attitudes towards their own sexuality and that of others. Only a regulated sex education from earlier ages can reduce the effect of these threats. The following presentations specify some of these threats. In this way, the second presentation will put forth up to what point the data that we have access to allow us to get a glimpse of a healthy sexuality in adolescents and their levels of sexual satisfaction. The third presentation, will talk about sexual orientation and how during adolescence the person becomes more conscious of their sexual impulses and their main desire, and needs a good sexual education to know how to understand those impulses, accept them and want them without unsettling their self-esteem. In the fourth presentation, another of the risks resulting from STI´s will be discusses, cybersex, whose use can have positive consequences but whose abuse can give way to problems such as addiction. We will present some data and a platform developed by Unisexsida for the assessment and treatment of people with cybersex addiction problems.

 

PhD in Psychology from the University of Valencia since 1992. He is currently Professor in the Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology University Jaume I of Castellón, where he has taught since 1993. He is the director of Research Unit on Sexuality and AIDS at the university. Throughout his career he has authored numerous publications in the field of treatment of anxiety disorders and health psychology, both aspects of psychological intervention on AIDS and critically ill, and preventing problems as disorders food, alcohol abuse and sexually transmitted infections.