Icelandic youth perceptions of sexuality education from parents

The aim of the current study was to examine Icelandic youths’ perceptions of sexuality education provided by parents. There is limited research in the literature that examine youths’ perspectives of sexual education, especially how Icelandic youth experienced their parents as sexual educators and communicators. The sample consisted of Icelandic young adults, 155 females (77.5%) and 45 males (22.5%), for a sum total of 200 participants. The age ranged from 18 to 25 (M = 21.45, SD = 2.18). An online survey was distributed through social media, including 102 questions about background information, frequency and perceived quality of sexuality education provided by parents, and questions referring to the youths’ attitudes toward sex communication provided by their parents. Results showed that overall frequency of parental communications with the Icelandic youth about sexual matters was low. Out of the 21 topics that were demonstrated, four topics were most often discussed between the Icelandic youth and their parents: gender-specific information (menstruation, ejaculation), condom use, rape/molestation/sexual harassment and sexual orientation. In general, it can be interpreted that the Icelandic youth did not perceive sexual communication with their parents positively. Most of the participants reported that they would not talk to their parents if they wanted to know something about sex. A Chi-square test confirmed significant difference between gender and which parent was favored to communicate with about sexual matters (2(2) = 17.93, p < .001). Males were more likely to communicate with their fathers about sexual matters than were females and females were more likely to communicate with their mothers than were males. Despite that, the mother, was in general, the most desirable choice for both genders. Keywords: Sexual education, parents, young adults, communication, experiencesHelstu markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna hvernig íslensk ungmenni upplifðu foreldra sína sem fræðendur um kynlíf. Fáar rannsóknir hafa kannað sjónarhorn ungs fólks á kynfræðslu, þá sérstaklega hvernig ungt fólk á Íslandi upplifði foreldra sína sem fræðendur um kynlíf. Rannsóknin var gerð á íslensku, meðal ungu fólki, 155 konur (77,5%) og 45 karlar (22,5%), samtals 200 þátttakendur. Aldursspönn þátttakanda var 18 til 25 ára (M = 21,45, SF = 2,18). Spurningalista var dreift á samfélagsmiðlum sem innihélt 102 spurningar um bakgrunnsupplýsingar, tíðni og gæði kynfræðslu frá foreldrum og spurningar sem snéru að viðhorfum ungs fólks af samræðum um kynlíf við foreldra sína. Niðurstöður sýndu að tíðni kynfræðslu frá foreldrum var almennt lág. Af þeim 21 atriðum sem spurt var um, voru fjögur umræðuefni oftast rædd milli foreldra og ungs fólks: kynþroski, smokkanotkun, nauðganir/kynferðisleg áreitni og kynhneigð. Á heildina litið upplifðu íslensk ungmenni kynfræðslu frá foreldrum á neikvæðan hátt. Flestir þátttakendur greindu frá því að þeir myndu ekki tala við foreldra sína ef þeir vildu vita eitthvað um kynlíf. Kí-kvaðrat próf sýndi að karlar voru líklegri til þess að ræða við feður sína um kynlíf heldur en konur og konur voru líklegri til þess að ræða við mæður sínar um kynlíf heldur en karlar. Þrátt fyrir það, voru mæður oftast valdar af báðum kynjum. Lykilorð: Kynfræðsla, foreldrar, ungt fólk, samræður, upplifani