School‘s out for the holidays. Teen-agers have time on their hands -- and perhaps even a crackling fire to set the mood. What are they planning for vacation?
Apparently, losing their virginity is high on the list for those with significant others, according to researchers who reviewed data from a federal health survey.
While June is the most common month for teen-agers to have sex for the first time -- be it in a casual summer fling or steady relationship -- sociologists from Mississippi State University say many teen-agers who are dating seriously choose December as the time to have sex for the first time.
"We call it the ’Santa Claus effect,‘" says Martin Levin, lead author of the study, which is published in the current issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.
The findings ring true to Becky Rose, a 19-year-old student at New York University.
"I’d say we‘re all fairly vulnerable and needy, and need someone to cling to and love," she says.
She says it’s partly the stress of final exams, followed by the holidays that make her "more emotional" during the holidays. "Everything you see on TV has people kissing under mistletoe and ‘Buy her a diamond -- she’ll love you!‘"
Whatever the reasons, experts say the holidays are the perfect time for parents to talk to their teen-agers about sex. "At the very least," says one of the expert, "maybe we should say, ’Leave the lights on.‘"
(Agencies)
学校放假了。少男少女们手头有了大把的时间--甚至可以燃一堆噼里啪啦的火焰来释放一下情绪。那他们对假期都有些什么计划呢？
研究人员整理了一些联邦健康调查数据发现，对于那些有了固定恋人的青少年来说，他们在假期计划中赫然排在第一位的是结束。
美国密西西比州立大学的社会学家指出，六月是青少年初尝禁果的高峰期
。这样的结果是出于偶然的夏日冲动或者稳定的恋爱关系。而对于许多较严肃看待恋爱关系的青少年来说，他们更愿意在十二月尝试他们的"第一次"。
领导这一研究的马丁·莱温说："我们把这一现象称为’圣诞老人效应‘"。这一研究结果在《婚姻与家庭杂志》上发表。
纽约大学19岁的学生贝姬·罗斯对这一研究结果颇为认同。
她说："我想说，我们每个人都很脆弱，需要得到别人的支持和爱。"
她说期末考试的压力也是原因之一，考试令她在接下来的假期中更加地"多愁善感"。"只要打开电视，总是看到人们在榭寄生树枝下拥吻，还有’为她买一颗钻石吧--她就会爱上你‘之类的广告。"
而无论是什么样的原因造成这一切，专家们认为圣诞节假期的确是父母和孩子们讨论性的好机会。一位专家说："最起码我们应该告诉孩子们，’别把灯关上‘。"
（中国日报网站译）