Study on possible influences on early sexual behaviour among Maltese adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study is to discover what possible influences are instrumental in early adolescent sexual behaviour. In view of this knowledge, possible recommendations could be made and action taken by the respective authoritative bodies. The study was conducted among 273 young school-age males and females coming from different districts in Malta. Nine secondary schools were selected to include public, Church and private schools. The tool of investigation used, was a questionnaire which was administered by the author and gatekeepers. The main hypothesis followed was that young adolescents today are getting sexually active earlier than their cohorts in the past. This could be due to the various influences which are reaching young people and having an effect on the choices they make. The study tried to investigate what these factors were and what was the impact on young adolescents. The results showed that young people felt that they were not influenced by outside factors and that they were more or less knowledgeable of the consequences of risky behaviour. Their main sources of information on sexual issues were the school programmes, followed by parents and friends. 22 percent of those participating in the study reported that they were already sexually active and the earliest age for first sex experience divulged, was less than 10 years. Most of the young participants viewed television regularly. Access to pornography was through the Internet and television programmes. Slightly more than half of respondents said that they had viewed pornography on television at least once. The adolescents' participation in religious groups and frequency at Mass attendance revealed that most youth still held on to traditional values. Notwithstanding this, however, there prevailed a strong hedonistic mentality and a separation between moral values and sexual behaviour. It also resulted that young people were more likely to discuss personal issues with friends, followed by parents, although half of the young people said they had a very good relationship with their parents.