Sexualidad en la Adolescencia

Abstract

Through an anonymous survey carried out among consultants aged from 12 to 18 years (262) of the Center of Growing and Development of Children, dependence of the Metropolitan North Health Service in Santiago, the knowledge. attitudes and practices on sexuality have been studied. A feeble percentage of correct responses (36,6%) was obtained in the test on elementary knowledges, although the adolescents manifested to be familiar with the subject. The sources of information were attributed to professors and mothers. (This information may be consecutive from the fact that professionals of the Center offer periodically conferences to educational personnel of schools and lyceums, on sexual education, which increases the proportion attributed to the professor). An 88.2 per cent of investigated persons is in accord on the advantages of compulsory teaching of sexual education to middle and superior courses. A 38.6 per cent agrees on the practice of pre-matrimonial sexual intercourses, while a 50 per cent do not agree, with a clear predominance of femenine sex. A 14, per cent of adolescents confess to have practiced sexual relations. A 4.6.per cent of them used contraceptives, preferably of hormonal type. A 50% of cases, its use had been advised by friends.