Step 4 Questions about Adolescence

• Did you have any homosexual experiences in your adolescence? If so, how did you feel about them?


• Did you have any homosexual desires in your adolescence? If so, how did you feel about them?


• What were your taught about sex by your parents or other authority figures?


• What did you find out about sex on your own or from your peers?


• If you are a female, were you ever taught that men are only interested in sex? If so, how has that affected you and your behaviors?


• If you are a male, were you ever taught that your sexual performance and "conquests" define your masculinity? If so, how has this affected you and your behaviors?


• Did you have friends? What kind of a friend were you?


• What interest or lack of interest did you have in school?


• How was your social life during adolescence? Did you participate in sports during adolescence? What were the reasons why you chose to participate or not? How did you feel about sports?


• Were you a trouble maker during adolescence? If so, in what way? Did you ever destroy property?


• During adolescence, did you resent leaders in your school, home or community?


• During adolescence, did you resent not being the most handsome or beautiful person at school?


• During adolescence, did you feel that you were a coward because you did not want to fight?


• During adolescence, did you like to pick fights? Were you a bully?


• During adolescence, did you feel embarrassed because others made fun of you or avoided you?


• During adolescence, were you exposed to other children in gym class or the restrooms who were older than you or more developed physically?


• During adolescence, Did you ever feel inadequate or inferior because you were later to physically develop than others? If so, write about your feelings.


• During adolescence, did you resent not being a part of the crowd? Or not being a leader? Or not being "in"?


• During adolescence were you shy or outgoing? How are you now?


• Does any person or type of person make you feel shy now?


• If you dropped out of school, explain your feelings and reasons.


• Did anything happen to you in high school that was a continuing source of shame?


• Did you parents compare you to other family members or friends? Did you resent them for wanting you to be like someone else?


• How did you get the attention of your family (e.g., pout, sulk, be a good child, have temper tantrums, act like a goofball or a dummy)?


• Did you lie? If so, do you recall what kind of lies that you told? How did you feel when you got caught lying?


• What was the most embarrassing moment of your adolescence?


• Were there other embarrassing moments in adolescence that you really remember?


• During adolescence were you jealous or envious of others?


• What was the attitude in your family about sex? How did you respond to these attitudes?


• Do you see any of the attitudes towards sex from your family forming your life now? If so, in what way?


• When was your first experience of sexual intercourse? What were your feelings and be as explicit as you can about your feelings.


• List in detail any early sexual experiences, including masturbation fantasies or activities with others of the same gender. Especially chronicle your FEELINGS about these experiences.


• Did anyone ever get pregnant (yourself or your partner) from early sexual experiences? If so, what feelings did you have and what actions did you take?


• Were you ashamed of your parents? Were they too old, too sloppy, too drunk, too high, too whatever?


• During adolescence did you have the kinds of clothes that other kids wore? Did it matter to you?


• During adolescence, was there enough money for the things that you needed? If not, did you feel resentful of that? If there was did you take it for granted?


• Did it seem like other brothers or sisters got more than you did?


• Write out your feelings about money as an adolescent.


• Were you the kind of child that you would like to have?


• During adolescence were you a thief?


• Were you ever double promoted in school? If so, did you ever have trouble catching up emotionally? How did you act? Did you feel uncomfortable?


• During adolescence did you feel superior or inferior to other students?


• During adolescence were you undependable as a friend? Did you break off friendships with little explanation if something or someone more desirable came along?


• Did you pit one family member against another?


• What was the best experience that you had in adolescence?


• What was the best experience that you had in your entire life?


• What was the worst experience that you had in adolescence?


• What was the worst experience that you had in your entire life?


• What did you feel particularly uncomfortable writing about from your adolescent experiences?


• Is there anything from your adolescence that bugged you that you have not written about? If so, write about it and your feelings about it.