Creation and validation of a scale of sexuality for adolescents: Scale of Myths about Sexuality / Creación y validación de una escala de sexualidad para adolescentes: Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad

INTRODUCTION: In recent decades western countries have become more open about sexuality and sexual relations, and adolescents get information about these issues mainly through the internet, TV and social networks. Often such information is incomplete, wrong or even contradicts itself. What favors them to develop myths, false beliefs and/or negative attitudes about sexuality, love, equality in relationships, or Sexually Transmitted Infections. At the same time, the presence of myths favors double standards, sexism, and a negative attitude toward toward personal, partner and/or social sexuality. OBJECTIVES: To create a scale for evaluating the permanence of myths about sexuality in adolescents, and to analyze the structural reliability and validity of this scale. METHOD: The sample was formed by a pilot group (n=216) and a final group (n=661), both with adolescents from high schools in the province of Malaga, obtained by non-probability cluster sampling. The first 69 initial items were given to the pilot sample to determine the final questions making up the "Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad". RESULT: All final items have an item-total correlation over 0.29. A final questionnaire was obtained of 27 items, grouped into 6 components. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicated a high internal consistency of the test (0.881). Moreover, it confirms a significant difference between the sexes and between grades (cohorts). CONCLUSION: The Scale has appropriate parameters for use in sex education and research. The use of this scale would help to discover adherence to the myths of adolescents, in order to eliminate them and build a solid, free and personal concept of sexuality

INTRODUCCIÓN: En las últimas décadas se ha producido una apertura respecto a la sexualidad y las relaciones sexuales en los países occidentales. Esto ha propiciado que los adolescentes obtengan información sobre estos temas principalmente en Internet, la televisión y las redes sociales. A menudo, esta información es incompleta, no es verídica o incluso puede llegar a ser contradictoria, lo que favorece que desarrollen mitos, creencias falsas o actitudes negativas sobre la sexualidad, el amor, la igualdad en las relaciones o las infecciones de transmisión sexual. Al mismo tiempo, la existencia de mitos favorece el doble rasero, el sexismo y una actitud negativa hacia la sexualidad personal, la de la pareja o la social. OBJETIVOS: Crear una escala para evaluar la existencia de mitos sobre sexualidad en adolescentes y analizar la fiabilidad y la validez estructural de esta escala. MÉTODO: La muestra estuvo formada por un grupo piloto (n=216) y otro final (n=661), ambos con adolescentes de institutos de la provincia de Málaga, obtenidos mediante muestreo por conglomerados no probabilísticos. Se pasaron los 69 ítems iniciales a la muestra piloto para establecer aquellos enunciados finales que compondrían la Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad. RESULTADO: Todos los ítems finales tienen una correlación ítem-total superior a 0,29. Se obtuvo un cuestionario final de 27 ítems, agrupados en 6 componentes. El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach indicó una elevada coherencia interna de la prueba (0,881). Además, se confirmó una diferencia importante entre sexos y entre los cursos académicos (cohortes). CONCLUSIÓN: La Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad presenta parámetros adecuados para ser utilizada en educación sexual y en investigación. El uso de esta escala ayudaría a descubrir la adhesión a los mitos de los adolescentes, para eliminarlos y construir un concepto de sexualidad sólido, libre y personal

Creation and validation of a scale of sexuality for adolescents: Scale of Myths about Sexuality.

INTRODUCTION: In recent decades western countries have become more open about sexuality and sexual relations, and adolescents get information about these issues mainly through the internet, TV and social networks. Often such information is incomplete, wrong or even contradicts itself. What favors them to develop myths, false beliefs and/or negative attitudes about sexuality, love, equality in relationships, or Sexually Transmitted Infections. At the same time, the presence of myths favors double standards, sexism, and a negative attitude toward toward personal, partner and/or social sexuality. OBJECTIVES: To create a scale for evaluating the permanence of myths about sexuality in adolescents, and to analyze the structural reliability and validity of this scale. METHOD: The sample was formed by a pilot group (n=216) and a final group (n=661), both with adolescents from high schools in the province of Malaga, obtained by non-probability cluster sampling. The first 69 initial items were given to the pilot sample to determine the final questions making up the "Escala de Mitos sobre la Sexualidad". RESULT: All final items have an item-total correlation over 0.29. A final questionnaire was obtained of 27 items, grouped into 6 components. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicated a high internal consistency of the test (0.881). Moreover, it confirms a significant difference between the sexes and between grades (cohorts). CONCLUSION: The Scale has appropriate parameters for use in sex education and research. The use of this scale would help to discover adherence to the myths of adolescents, in order to eliminate them and build a solid, free and personal concept of sexuality.

Validación de la versión reducida para adolescentes de la Encuesta revisada de opinión sexual / Validation of the reduced version for adolescents of the Revised sexual opinion survey

Introducción. La Encuesta revisada de opinión sexual (EROS) mide las actitudes sexuales, pero puede resultar extensa para población adolescente. Las actitudes sexuales son importantes de conocer debido a que son uno de los factores que determinan las conductas sexuales. Objetivo. Crear una versión reducida, válida y fiable de dicha escala. También se estudia la influencia del sexo, el tener pareja y el curso escolar. Material y método. El muestreo se realizó por conglomerado no probabilístico, de lo que resultó una muestra de 879 adolescentes, con edades comprendidas entre 12 y 18 años. Se utilizó el cuestionario EROS. Se realizó el cálculo de la ecuación Spearman-Brown para calcular el número definitivo de ítems. Resultados. La ecuación de Spearman-Brown aconseja reducir a 8 ítems la versión definitiva, eligiéndose aquellos que presentaban una mejor correlación ítem-total corregida. Igualmente, el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach indicó una alta consistencia interna de la prueba (0,839). Tras realizar el análisis factorial exploratorio utilizando el análisis de componentes principales y la rotación varimax, se obtuvieron 2 factores, que explican el 60,49% de la varianza. Además, se comprueba que existen diferencias significativas en función de las variables sexo, pareja y curso escolar. Conclusiones. La versión reducida de EROS presenta parámetros adecuados para ser utilizada en investigación. Tiene como ventaja ser más accesible para la población adolescente. Por otro lado, se confirma que el sexo, el curso escolar y el tener pareja influyen en la respuesta ante los estímulos sexuales en dicha población (AU)

Introduction. The Revised sexual opinion survey (R-SOS) measures sexual attitudes, but it can be extensive for adolescent population. It is important to know sexual attitudes, because they are one of the factors that determine sexual conducts. Objective. To create a limited, valid and reliable version of the abovementioned scale. The influence of sex, having a relationship and the academic year is also studied. Material and method. Sampling was carried out by non-probabilistic cluster. This resulted in a sample of 879 adolescents, between 12 and 18 years of age. The questionnaire R-SOS was used. The calculation of the equation Spearman-Brown was performed to obtain the definitive number of items. Results. The Spearman-Brown equation advises to reduce the definitive version to 8 items. Those items that presented a better total-item correlation were elected. Likewise, Cronbach's alpha rate indicated high internal consistency of the test (0.839). Besides, it is proved that significant differences exist according to the variables of sex, being in a relationship and the academic year. Two factors were obtained which explain 60.49% of the variance after conducting the exploratory factor analysis using the analysis of main components and the rotation varimax. Conclusions. The reduced version of R-SOS has adequate parameters to be used in the research. One of its advantages is that it is more accessible for the adolescent population. One the other hand, it has been confirmed how sex, the academic year and being in a relationship influence the answer to sexual stimulants of the abovementioned population (AU)