Parents’ perception of teenage sexuality. A study of 100 caregivers

SummaryThe objective of this work was to study the perception of teenage sexuality by health professionals in the Tunisian sociocultural context. Fifty doctors and 50 paramedics who have at least one teenage child participated in the study. They filled in an anonymous autoquestionnaire, consisting of six items related to the general profile of the participants and another 14 relative to the aspects that seemed to us the most meaningful concerning teenage sexuality. Sixty-five percent of the participants did not manage to provide answers in conformity with scientific data to a minimum of 75% of the items (a threshold that they were thought to achieve, considering their educational training), with a rate of correct answers significantly lower among the paramedics compared to the doctors (28 doctors versus seven paramedics, p < 0.0001). Twenty-five percent considered masturbation at adolescent age to be pathological. The possibility of a homosexual tendency during adolescence was unacceptable for 61.5%. Compared to doctors, the paramedics were more embarrassed by the subject of teenage sexuality (p < 0.001) and they were also less permissive regarding the issue of sexual relations amongst adolescents, even protected relations (p < 0.01), and also regarding the interest that a female teenager could have in sexuality (p = 0.047). Our study demonstrated a relatively high frequency of prejudice relating to teenage sexuality amongst the medical staff reflecting the impact of the taboo on sexuality and particularly on the female teenager in the Tunisian sociocultural context. A change in mentalities regarding sexuality of the teenager should take place very smoothly. Training of doctors and especially paramedics should be readjusted, and could play a crucial role in the fight against the hindrances surrounding teenage sexuality.