Cross-sectional survey of adolescent sexual psychology and knowledge

Guiyun SONG; Ran CHENG; Lin ZHAO

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The population of male and female adolescents in China accounts for 1/5. Adolescents have much psychological bewilderment,troublesome and even diseases on sexual issues.

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the development status quo and the regulation of adolescents' sexual physiology, sexual psychology, sexual knowledge and sexual education.

DESIGN:

A cross-sectional survey by employing students of junior high school as subjects.

SETTING:

A clinic for adolescent of a tertiary hospital.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 960 students aged between 14 and 19 years old of three junior high schools in Dalian city were selected as subjects between November and December of 2001.

METHODS:

Self-complied questionnaire was used in the survey based on the sexual psychological education situation scale for junior and senior high school students. Classes were randomly selected for anonymous survey based on voluntary principle.Answers to sex-related questions and differences between male and female students.

RESULTS:

The average age of menarche in female students was 12.96years old and the average age of first emission in male students was 13.89years old, which were consistent with the results of similar national researches. The incidence and frequency of masturbation and sexual impulse was significantly higher in males than females. There were significant differences in sexual concept and the understanding of sexual knowledge between males and females. The desire to affiliate with the opposite sex was far more than the real occurrence.

CONCLUSION:

The understanding of sexual knowledge in adolescent is not satisfied. Students are also not satisfied with the sexual education provided by their schools. Hence, school sexual education for adolescents should be enhanced with the involvement of community.