Masturbation Experiences of Swedish Senior High School Students: Gender Differences and Similarities.

Research about masturbation tends to be limited to the assessment of masturbation incidence and frequency. Consequently, little is known about what people experience connected to masturbation. This might be one reason why theoretical approaches that specifically address the persistent gender gap in masturbation frequency are lacking. The aim of the current study was to explore several aspects of masturbation in young men and women, and to examine possible associations with their social backgrounds and sexual histories. Data from 1,566 women and 1,452 men (ages 18 to 22) from 52 Swedish senior high schools were analyzed. Comparisons between men and women were made regarding incidence of and age at first masturbation, the use of objects (e.g., sex toys), fantasies, and sexual functioning during masturbation, as well as about their attitudes toward masturbation and sexual fantasies. Cluster analysis was carried out to identify similarities between and differences within the gender groups. While overall more men than women reported experience with several of the investigated aspects, cluster analyses revealed that a large proportion of men and women reported similar experiences and that fewer experiences are not necessarily associated with negative attitudes toward masturbation. Implications of these findings are discussed in consideration of particular social backgrounds.

['How Much Sex do Medical Studies Need?' - A Survey of the Knowledge and Interest in Sexual Medicine of Medical Students.] / "Wie viel Sex braucht das Studium der Medizin?" - Eine Erhebung des Wissens und Interesses Medizinstudierender zum Thema Sexualmedizin.

Background: Because of the increasing need for medical care of problems concerning human sexuality, the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) in 2010 suggested to include sexual medicine in the current curricula of medical studies. Based on the ISSM's suggestions sexual medicine should be taught on a multidisciplinary basis throughout the whole study process. Furthermore, health care providers have repeatedly indicated that they have lacking knowledge concerning sexual medicine and patients have criticized that their health care providers only infrequently address their sexuality. Methods: 404 medical students from 2 German university medical centers answered an online questionnaire assessing the quality of sexual medicine education. The students were asked about their interest in and their knowledge about different issues concerning human sexuality in the following 4 domains: Sexual development, Sexual behavior, Sexual physiology and psychology, Sexual medicine and therapy of sexual disorders. Results: The great majority of students were interested in education about sexual medicine within medical studies, whereby most students were of the opinion that sexual medicine should be included in the already existing subjects. Furthermore, students mostly evaluated the current quality of sexual medicine education as insufficient and more than half of the students thought that they do not have enough knowledge about human sexuality for their future profession as medical health care providers. On average the students correctly answered 50% of the knowledge questions, however they showed some knowledge gaps especially in the domains of sexual development and sexual physiology and psychology. Discussion: The results of the present study suggest that medical students have lacking knowledge concerning important parts of human sexuality but at the same time express great interest in the field. Therefore, in Germany more structured educational programs in sexual medicine should be developed taking the suggestion of the ISSM into account. Conclusion: Besides medical education about pathological sexuality future educational efforts should also address healthy sexuality and its sociocultural meaning more frequently. Thereby, the students' wishes would be met and moreover, health care providers of all fields would be enabled to provide an unbiased, holistic and sensitive treatment of sexual problems.

Comparing sexuality, aggressiveness, and antisocial behavior of alleged juvenile sexual and violent offenders.

Sexual delinquency in juveniles is insufficiently explored in regard to the specificity of offender characteristics. The aim is to investigate relevant areas for juvenile sexual offending in a precourt, pretreatment group. Thirty-two alleged juvenile sexual offenders (ASO) referred to by police were compared with 32 juvenile nonsexual violent offenders (VNO) on standardized measures of aggressiveness and psychopathology, antisocial behavior, substance use problems, and sexuality. Less externalizing disorders and antisocial behavior were found among the ASOs than among the VNOs. The ASO group was sexually less experienced, had less trust in their relationship abilities, fewer victimization experiences, and reported more sexual deviance, while pornography use and obscene calls were reported less often. Few juvenile sexual offenders had severe problems in the investigated areas. Including groups of offenders before court, treatment or incarceration in research appears crucial to understand the full spectrum of sexual deviance in youth and avoid misguidance due to selection factors.

[Hamburg model-project for minors who are at risk for sexual offending: co-operation between the institutions in Hamburg, Germany]. / Hamburger Modellprojekt für sexuell auffällige Minderjährige: Kooperationsstrukturen von Hamburger Institutionen.

When children and adolescents show deviant sexual behavior, co-operation between institutions of the youth welfare service is necessary in order to prevent further assaults. As a part of the Hamburg model project for minors who are at risk for sexual offending we evaluated the existing case-unspecific co-operation between the city's institutions. Selection of the sample resulted in a diagram of co-operation between institutions that have or might have contact to sexual deviant children or juveniles. By analyzing 147 online-surveys, comprising quantitative as well as qualitative questions, revealed a comprehensive system rich in resources but only little case-unspecific cooperation. Highest average rating in co-operation was given to the non-governmental institutions and the police. The inquiry of reasons for the co-operation indicated a demand for specialized diagnostics and advice. Positively evaluated were an efficient and fast processing, an unbureaucratic handling of the case and constant availability. Pointed out negatively were "not-reacting", trivializing and a lack of capacities. In order to improve the level of information and the range of intervention programs, training of professionals in school and the youth welfare service is needed.