Is masturbation normal for a 15-year old girl?

Answer 1

According to our friend, the sexual anthropologist, masturbation is common from, say, age 10 until death. The focus of her work has been the 1960s Free-Sex communes and sects, but in recording their practices she's had to review control groups for comparison. (In the 1960s, several communities were set up where young men and women had sex at random, usually daily with a different person and without wishing to know the paternity of offspring born. Meanwhile, several sex-based relgiions were founded, notably David Berg's Children of God, where the young residents of his communes and colonies were encouraged to masturbate and contemplate God; and also to have sex early and often. Women were sent out "flirty fishing" to evangelize and missionaries. God was said to be a third party at each climax.
http://www.xfamily.org

There have been many, many studies since Kinsey of masturbation as related to frequency and age and sex. Thus in The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality (1997) online at:
http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/IES/BEGIN.HTM#CONTENTS
the general societal policy is minutely examined, but the work avoids reporting specific ages and frequencies because of definitional problems.

Less scholarly papers describe method:
http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/IES/BEGIN.HTM#CONTENTS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbation
and medical aspects:
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/masturb.htm
The latter essay reports on rate of involvement:
"It is a common childhood habit. Most children--both boys and girls--play with their genitals (private parts) fairly regularly by the age of 5-6 years. By age 15, almost 100% of boys and 25% of girls have masturbated to the point of orgasm. Estimates of the rate of adult masturbation are about 95-99% of men and 40-60% of women."

Here's a report from a medical standpoint:
http://health.enotes.com/childrens-health-encyclopedia/masturbation
It includes the following observation: "Once a child discovers masturbation, he or she seldom stops doing it completely, according to the advisory. It is not abnormal or excessive unless it is deliberately done in public places after age five or six, when most children learn discretion and masturbate only in private."

The Economist Magazine has described sex differences and mentions masturbation frequency, but in obscure scientific notation form:
http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7245949
"Another area where she found large differences was in some areas of sexuality--for example, frequency of masturbation (d=0.96) and attitudes about sex in a casual relationship (d=0.81). However, men and women reported the same degree of sexual satisfaction."

Still, researchers hesitate to be specific:
http://www.yrshr.org/view_faq.asp?cat=8
"Despite the widespread condemnation of masturbation in our society, surveys indicate that most people masturbate at some time. As sexual expression, including masturbation, varies from person, no particular frequency can be labeled to be ‘normal’. Since the frequency of masturbation depends on various factors like availability of alternative sexual practices, it is less frequent in married people than among unmarried. Thus the frequency can vary from once to few times a day to once a month or once in few months."

Parents are assured that masturbation generally does no harm:
http://www.sexualityandu.ca/parents/sexuality-4.aspx
"Puberty is typically the time where the nature and frequency of masturbation in both boys and girls changes compared to earlier in childhood. The focus of masturbation becomes geared towards pleasure and orgasm. Many girls and boys who did not masturbate earlier in their lives will begin to do so during puberty. While nearly all adolescents will experiment with some form of masturbation, some will masturbate regularly and some will do so infrequently or not at all. Unless an adolescent is masturbating so frequently that it interferes with basic aspects of his or her life (e.g., school, family and social life) it does not cause physical or psychological harm."

Only in an Agony Aunt column do we get an answer to your question about whether masturbation is normal, and how often you should do it:
http://www.teenwire.com/ask/2004/as-20041102p901-masturbate.php
"Dear Experts,
"how often should a girl masterbate [sic]?
"xtakenx, 11.02.04"

"The Answer:
"Dear xtakenx,
"However much she feels like it! Masturbation is safe and healthy. Some people -- girls as well as guys -- masturbate every day, some people masturbate once a week, some people once a month, and some people never masturbate at all. That's because everyone is different. Rest assured that whatever frequency of masturbation suits you best is perfectly normal.
"Hope this information helps!
"Take care,
teenwire.com® Editors"

In other words, masturbation, even every day, is normal and common. It is not an indicator for adolescents of inadequacy or ineptitude for interpersonal relations or normal boy/girl sex.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Yes, it is a healthy part of your sexual development. As long as it does not prevent you from enjoying other aspects of life, it is nothing to worry about. However, if you are choosing masturbation over academics, friendships etc., it may be of concern. Humans naturally want to do what feels good. Sometimes, people masturbate more in times of stress or when they are feeling anxious, or even bored. If you are using masturbation to cope with stress or anxiety, it may be helpful to seek the advice of a therapist for other ways to relieve your tension. You don't need to mention anything specific, just tell him/her that you are having trouble feeling pleasure from live events.

But generally, it is healthy for girls your age to explore their own bodies.

Answer 3

Absolutely! Masturbation is completely healthy and normal.

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Absolutely! Enjoy!

Answer 6

Masturbation is perfectly normal, no matter how old you are.

Answer 7

Masturbation is normal, your human, doesn't matter what age or sex, it's natural.

Answer 8

I think the word "normal" should be removed from use. It only causes problems.

Answer 9

Hey Iron (Tundra) Monkey

Whats going on man?

Answer 10

Yep. It's the blindness and hairy palms that come with it that ain't normal.