By the end of adolescence (about age 20), almost all young men have masturbated to orgasm, and many have begun engaging in sexual intercourse. There has been a recent trend for increased numbers of younger teenagers to practise sexual behaviours other than vaginal intercourse, such as petting to orgasm and oral intercourse. There is considerable peer pressure on teenagers, especially boys, to gain sexual experience, and this, combined with the fact that this life stage is often characterised by risk-taking behaviour, makes it very important that young men are well-informed about the potential consequences of having sex, such as sexually transmitted diseases.

In addition to the rapid and powerful physical changes during this transition period, a teenage boy also has to contend with emotional, psychological, social, and mental change and growth – which make adolescence an exciting, but also a stressful and confusing time. Teenagers naturally seek to form an identity for themselves, and this includes their sexual identity: sexual orientation may become an issue during adolescence. Keeping the channels of communication open with parents and other responsible adults can greatly ease this turbulent transition period, and provides balance to sometimes undesirable peer influences.