Sources of information about sexuality and the relationship of knowledge to behavior.
Wanslow, Elanor*,1, Young, Michael1, Bailey, William2, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America2 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
ABSTRACT- Low levels of sexual knowledge may lead to irresponsible or risky sexual behavior. Thus, it was thought important to identify sources of sexual knowledge among college students and to determine if (1) some source were associated with greater knowledge, and (2) greater knowledge levels were associated with more responsible sexual behavior. Undergraduate college students (n=462) from a university located in the southeastern United States participated in the study. All participants were single and under the age of 25. Students voluntarily completed an anonymous questionnaire while they were in a regular classroom setting. The questionnaire included 21 true/false knowledge questions dealing with various sexual topics, including the sexual/reproductive system, fertility and pregnancy, masturbation, menstruation, contraception, homosexuality, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual response. Data regarding sources of information were elicited using 15 five-point likert-type statements regarding various sources of information (mother, father, sibling, books, etc.) that asked participants to rate degree of source helpfulness, the extent to which the source discussed or welcomed the topic, and level of influence of the source. Students showed limited sexual knowledge; over 50 percent of the students answered six of the 21 items incorrectly and over 20 percent of the students answered 11 or more of the 21 items incorrectly. Females had significantly (p=.001) higher knowledge scores than males. In addition, results indicated that knowledge differed by six of the source items: (1) whether or not the participant had taken a college level sexuality course, (2) the degree of influence from mom, (3) the degree of influence from dad, (4) the degree of sibling influence, (5) degree of open sexual communication in the home, and (6) degree of influence from television. Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that source items accounted for 16.35 percent of the variation in knowledge for females and 22.62 percent of the variation in knowledge for males. There were also significant gender x behavior interactions with sexually experienced females recording the highest knowledge scores and sexually experienced males recording the lowest knowledge scores. Results should be useful to sexuality educators who want to help students gain accurate information about sexuality.
Key words: knowledge, sources, behavior, students