Healthy Sexuality Development In Adolescence: Proposing A Competency-Based Framework To Inform Programmes And Research
Positive aspects of sexuality remain understudied among young people globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and consensus is lacking on how to conceptualise different aspects of adolescent sexual wellbeing. In this review article, we synthesise the literature and propose a conceptual framework for healthy adolescent sexuality development with the goal of offering guidance to programmes and research aiming to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The framework is based on an extensive narrative review of the literature to identify key components, followed by input from over 20 global experts in the field of adolescent SRHR during workshops, conferences and webinars. We begin with a background on adolescent sexuality development and wellbeing based on existing definitions and conceptualisations. We then move on to explain the different components of the framework and discuss its potential implications for medical and public health professionals.