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International Peer Reviewed Journal
119
Attitudes of High School Students
Towards Sex:
Implications to Sex Education
and Guidance
FRUCTUOSO C. BALITON
totsbaliton_67@yahoo.com
DepEd, Division of Leyte (Eastern Visayas)
Abstract - A major source of sexual learning is sex
education classes in school (Levy 1992). In the absence
of effective sex education, the immature adolescent
must make major decisions without adequate
knowledge (Bjorklund 1998). This descriptive survey-
correlation method of research was undertaken to come
up with findings on attitude towards sex of Villaba
National High School students. It was also its purpose
that this study may be instrumental in the proper
guidance of the said students particularly in the area
of adolescent sexuality. Simple frequency counts were
used to determine their Attitude towardss the various
aspects of sexual relationships and average scores
determined their Attitude towards the ten aspects of
sexual relationships. Z-test was used to test the null
hypothesis which states that, “there is no significant
difference between the attitudes of boys and girls on the
ten aspects of sexual relationships,” at the significance
level of 0.05. This research finally concluded that there
are differences between the attitudes of boys and girls
Vol. 7 · January 2012
Print ISSN 20123981 • Electronic ISSN 2244-0445
International Peer Reviewed Journal
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v7i1.157
JPAIR Multidisciplinary Journal
JPAIR: Multidisciplinary Journal
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towards the various aspects of sexual relationships
particularly on courtship, petting, pre-marital sex, and
trial marriage or live-in. Z-test established a significant
difference between the attitudes of boys and girls on
the ten aspects of sexual relationships.
Keywords - attitude towards sex, sex education,
instruction and guidance, adolescent sexuality, sexual
relationships.
INTRODUCTION
Current issues on sex behavior are drawing interest and curiosity
from among the present generation, especially among those who
claim to be “liberated” people. The subject is almost in every issue
of mass media and communication either in print, in picture, or over
the air. Most adolescents are capable of and quickly become curious
about the physical aspects of sex but few of them achieve the degree
of emotional maturity that keep indulgence in the physical aspects of
sex from causing them serious anxieties and conflicts (Gallagher 1983).
The adolescent-youth period is critical in the field of sexual
adjustments because it is at this period that the initial venture in forming
emotional attachments to the opposite sex begins. The adolescent’s
first love may be intense, consuming, almost overpowering; no doubt
its intensity is in part a matter of lack of experience. The conflict
between organic drives and the sex mores is not confined to the
adolescent period. It is a lifelong struggle. In the absence of effective
sex education, the immature adolescent must make major decisions
without adequate knowledge (Bjorklund 1998).
A major source of sexual learning is sex education classes in school
and the problem of sex instruction is made doubly difficult because on
one hand so many adults are not sufficiently well adjusted sexually
themselves to talk objectively and unemotionally about sex; on the
other hand, there is even at the adult level a great amount of ignorance
of even the simplest facts of sexual functioning (Levy 1992).
The Department of Education of the Philippines is mandated by
Republic Act 9155, otherwise known as the “Governance of Basic
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Education Act of 2001,” that the principals, school administrators
and teachers-in-charge (collectively referred to as school heads)
must exercise instructional leadership and sound administrative
management of the school.
As an instructional leader, therefore, the researcher believes that
the school has a great and challenging role in the clarification of values
to help clear out the haze of confusion and doubts, particularly on
sexual relationships as this touches the core of individual’s personality.
The youth of today needs information as they go through formation,
particularly on matters of sex. Data on their Attitude towards sexual
relationships would be a great help in diagnosing weaknesses and
strengths on the subject of sex.
This study was undertaken in order to come up with findings on
attitude towards sex of junior and senior students of Villaba National
High School (VNHS), Division of Leyte, Region VIII (Eastern Visayas),
of the Department of Education. Hopefully the results of this study
may be instrumental in the proper guidance of the said students
particularly in the area of adolescent sexuality.
The findings in this study may guide students on how to deal with
problems concerning sex, particularly the juniors and the seniors of
VNHS. With it, the writer hopes to provide the school with some data
on the attitude towards sex of the students, thus helping the teachers,
the guidance counselor, and parents diagnose youngsters in order to
guide them properly.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To determine the attitudes of junior and senior students of VNHS
toward the following aspects of sexual relationships which are
courtship, going steady, dating, passionate kissing, necking,
petting, pre-marital sex, free love or promiscuity, trial marriage
or living-in, and extra-marital affairs; and,
2. To determine whether there exists a significant difference
between the attitudes of boys and girls on the ten aspects of
sexual relationships.
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MATERIALS AND METHODS
The respondents of this study were the third year and the fourth
year students of VNHS during school year 2008 – 2009. There were 73
boys and 99 girls or a total of 172 students.
A data-gathering questionnaire which was adapted from the
instrument used by Sister M. Carmela (1981) was prepared by the
writer. It contained fifty (50) items divided equally into ten (10)
aspects of sexual relationships which are courtship, going steady,
dating, passionate kissing, necking, petting, pre-marital sex, free love
or promiscuity, trial marriage or living-in, and extra-marital affairs.
Each question asked for a feeling or belief about a particular
behavior in certain situations involving sexual relationships. The
respondents indicated their answers by writing the appropriate letter
from the set of responses provided according to what they honestly
feel or believe in as follows: A (ALL RIGHT), D (Dangerous), or W
(Wrong).
[In interpreting the respondents’ responses, codes were utilized.
Coding was done to facilitate the analysis of the data.] A scale value of
the preferred responses was established. The following were the scale
value for each item:
4 - Permissive (the attitude that puts no restrictions to any sexual
behavior).
3 - Liberal (the attitude that considers sex as something to be
enjoyed as long as it does not put one into trouble).
2 - Healthy (the attitude that considers sex as a vital part of being
a human being which may enhance or distort the personality of
an individual depending on the kind of relationship he/she has
with others).
1 - Conservative (the attitude that considers sex as something
tolerated with uncomfortable feelings.).
0 - Scrupulous (the attitude that considers sex bad or dirty).
The descriptive survey-correlation method of research was used
in this study. The questionnaire was used to gather the data. Data
collection was undertaken personally by the researcher using the
instrument adapted for the study. The distribution of the questionnaires
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was made on March 10 – 14, 2009 during the Health Education classes
of the respondents. The retrieval was done at the end of their class
sessions.
Simple frequency counts were used to determine their Attitude
towards the ten aspects of sexual relationships. [Courtship, going
steady, dating, passionate kissing, necking, petting, pre-marital sex,
free love or promiscuity, trial marriage or living-in, and extra-marital
affairs.]
Average scores determined their Attitude towards the ten
aspects of sexual relationships. Since each of the fifty (50) items in
the questionnaire contained a healthy answer, and that the healthy
answer had a value of 2, so respondents with a total score near 100 or
an average score near 2 was considered to have more or less a healthy
attitude towards sex. The following limits were established to classify
the average scores:
2.46 – above Permissive
2.16 – 2.45 Liberal
1.86 – 2.15 Healthy
1.56 – 1.85 Conservative
1.55 – below Scrupulous
In testing the null hypothesis which states that, “there is no
significant difference between the attitudes of boys and girls on the ten
aspects of sexual relationships,” the Z – Test was used that was tested
at the significance level of 0.05
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
On Attitude towards the Various Aspects of Sexual Relationships
Tables 1.1 to 1.10 present the attitude of junior and senior students
of VNHS towards the various aspects of sexual relationships.
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Table 1.1: Attitude towards courtship
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If those involved are unmarried persons
who exercise precautions so as not to lead
each other into sexual intimacies.
ALLRIGHT Healthy Healthy
If those involved persons exercise no
restrictions on sexual intimacies.
WRONG
DANGEROUS
Healthy
Liberal
If unmarried persons spend it in secluded
and dimly lit places where they could be
alone with each other.
DANGEROUS Healthy
Healthy
If the unmarried persons spend it in the
company of a number of people.
ALLRIGHT Healthy Healthy
If it is showered over/by a person
who is married to somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
It can be gleaned from table 1.1 that boys have healthy Attitude
towards all of the situations involving courtship while girls have
liberal attitudes if those involved persons exercise no restrictions on
sexual intimacies by indicating a dangerous answer to that particular
situation.
Table 1.2: Attitude toward going steady
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If those involved are unmarried persons
who exercise precautions so as not to lead
each other into sexual intimacies.
ALLRIGHT Healthy Healthy
If those involved unmarried persons exercise
no restrictions on sexual intimacies.
DANGEROUS Liberal Liberal
If being done by/with a person married to
somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
If being done by unmarried persons looking
for a life partner.
ALLRIGHT Healthy Healthy
If being done by adolescents who desire to
be alone with each other.
DANGEOUS Healthy Healthy
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Table 1.2 shows that both boys and girls have indicated a dangerous
answer if those involved persons exercise no restrictions on sexual
intimacies. The classified attitude for such an answer is liberal. Their
Attitude towards going steady in the other situations are healthy.
Table 1.3: Attitude towards dating
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys
Girls
If those involved are unmarried
persons who exercise precautions so as not
to lead each other into sexual intimacies.
ALL RIGHT Healthy
Healthy
If those involved unmarried persons
exercise no restrictions on sexual intimacies.
DANGEROUS Liberal
Liberal
If the unmarried persons spend it in
secluded and dimly lit places where they
could be alone with each other.
DANGEROUS Healthy
Healthy
If the unmarried persons spend it in the
company of a number of people.
ALL RIGHT Healthy
Healthy
If it is done with/by a person who is married
to somebody else.
WRONG Healthy
Healthy
Table 1.3 shows that both boys and girls have indicated a dangerous
answer if those involved persons exercise no restrictions on sexual
intimacies. The classified attitude for such an answer is liberal. Their
Attitude towards dating in the other situations are healthy.
Table 1.4: Attitude towards passionate kissing
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If done by unmarried persons. DANGEROUS Healthy Healthy
If done by husband and wife. ALL RIGHT Healthy Healthy
If done with/by a person married to
somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
Between steadies. DANGEROUS Healthy Healthy
Between persons who have officially
arranged to get married to each other.
ALL RIGHT Healthy Healthy
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As shown in table 1.4, the attitudes of the respondents toward
passionate kissing are healthy in all of the situations.
Table 1.5: Attitude towards necking
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
Between persons not married
to each other.
DANGEROUS Liberal Liberal
If done by/to a person married
to somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
If done by husband and wife. ALL RIGHT Healthy Healthy
Between steadies. DANGEROUS Liberal Liberal
Between persons who have arranged
to get married to each other.
ALL RIGHT Liberal Liberal
Table 1.5 shows that the respondents have liberal Attitude towards
necking if it is done between persons not married to each other and
between steadies by indicating dangerous answers, and between
persons who have officially arranged to get married to each other by
indicating an ALL RIGHT answer. If necking is done by/to a person
married to somebody else, the respondents indicated a wrong answer
which is a healthy attitude. Also, the indicated ALL RIGHT as an
answer if necking is done between husband and wife is a healthy
attitude.
Table 1.6: Attitude towards petting
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If done by person not married to each other. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If done by husband and wife. ALL RIGHT Healthy Healthy
If done by/to person who is married to
somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
Between steadies. DANGEROUS Healthy Liberal
Between persons who have arranged to get
married to each other.
ALL RIGHT Liberal Liberal
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Table 1.6 illustrates that boys have healthy attitudes in the first four
situations involving petting but they have a liberal attitude if it is done
between persons who have arranged to get married to each other by
indicating an ALL RIGHT answer. In addition to the liberal attitude
of girls toward the same situation, they have indicated a dangerous
answer if petting is done between steadies which is also a liberal
attitude.
Table 1.7: Attitude towards pre-marital sex
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If done by person not married to each other. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If done by husband and wife. ALL RIGHT Healthy Healthy
If done by/to person who is married to
somebody else.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
Between steadies. WRONG Healthy Healthy
Between persons who have arranged to get
married to each other.
ALL
RIGHT
Permissive Healthy
As shown in table 1.7, the boys have a permissive attitude towards
pre-marital sex if it is done between persons preparing for marriage by
indicating ALL RIGHT as an answer while they have a healthy attitude
towards the other situations. Meanwhile, the girls have healthy
Attitude towards pre-marital sex in all of the situations.
Table 1.8: Attitude towards free love
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
For those not ready for marriage. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If one wants to do so as he/she pleases. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If one does it for fun. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If it is for financial/economic reason. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If one is searching for the right marriage partner. WRONG Healthy Healthy
As shown in table 1.8, the attitudes of the respondents toward free
love are healthy by indicating wrong answers in all of the situations.
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Table 1.9: Attitude towards trial marriage or live-in
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
For those not ready for marriage. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If one wants to be free in case he/she
does not want the partner anymore.
WRONG Healthy Healthy
If those involved want to test each other. DANGEROUS
WRONG
Liberal Healthy
If there is intention to marry
each other later.
ALL RIGHT Permissive Permissive
If it is for fun. WRONG Healthy Healthy
It can be gleaned from table 1.9 that the respondents have healthy
Attitude towards trial marriage or live-in for those not yet ready for
marriage, if one wants to be free in case he/she does not want the
partner anymore, and if it is for fun by indicating wrong answers to
the situations. They have a permissive attitude if there is intention to
marry each other by indicating an ALL RIGHT answer to the situation.
However, if those involved want to test each other, the boys have
liberal attitudes by indicating a dangerous answer while the girls have
healthy attitudes by indicating a wrong answer to the situation.
Table 1.10: Attitude towards extra-marital affairs
Statements Responses ATTITUDES
Boys Girls
If it is for financial/economic reason. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If husband and wife agree on it. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If one wants to have a child. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If it is for fun. WRONG Healthy Healthy
If it is to satisfy an
emotional/psychological need
WRONG Healthy Healthy
Table 1.10 illustrates that the attitudes of the respondents toward
extra-marital affairs are healthy by indicating wrong answers to all of
the situations.
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On Attitude towards the Ten Aspects of Sexual Relationships
Shown in table 2 are the attitudes of junior and senior students of
VNHS toward the ten aspects of sexual relationships.
Table 2: The attitudes of junior and senior students of VNHS
toward the ten aspects of sexual relationships
Attitudes Boys Girls Difference
Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage
Healthy 15 20.55 31 31.31 (10.76)
Liberal 34 46.57 51 51.52 (4.95)
Permissive 24 32.88 17 17.17 15.71
TOTALS 73 100 99 100
The data shows that 15 or 20.55 percent of boys and 31 or 31.31
percent of girls have healthy Attitude towards the ten aspects of sexual
relationships. Thirty-four or 46.57 percent and 51 or 51.52 percent
of boys and girls, respectively, have liberal attitudes. There are 24 or
32.88 percent boys and 17 or 17.17 percent girls who have permissive
attitudes. The overall pattern so far indicates that the liberal attitude
has the highest frequency and/or percentage for both boys and girls
respondents.
On Differences between the Attitudes of Boys and Girls on the Ten
Aspects of Sexual Relationships
Table 3 presents the differences between the attitudes of boys and
girls on the ten aspects of sexual relationships.
Table 3: Differences between the attitudes of boys and girls
on the ten aspects of sexual relationships
Data Boys Girls
Mean scores 2.38 2.26
Standard deviations 0.26 0.21
Number of cases 73 99
Z – Test 3.24
Interpretation Significant
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The data suggest that there is a significant difference between the
attitudes of boys and girls on the ten aspects of sexual relationships
since the absolute value of computed Z at the significant level of 0.05 is
greater than the critical region Z, which is 1.64.
The null hypothesis which states that, “there is no significant
difference between the attitudes of boys and girls on the ten aspects of
sexual relationships,” is therefore, rejected.
CONCLUSIONS
As established by the results of the study, this research finally
concluded that the following are the differences between the attitudes
of boys and girls toward the various aspects of sexual relationships.
On courtship, boys have healthy attitudes, if those involved
persons exercise no restrictions on sexual intimacies, while girls have
liberal attitudes. If petting is done between steadies, boys have healthy
attitudes while girls have liberal attitudes. Boys have permissive
Attitude towards pre-marital sex, if it is done between persons
preparing for marriage, while girls have healthy attitudes. On trial
marriage or live-in, boys have liberal attitudes while girls have healthy
attitudes if those involved want to test each other.
The significant difference between the attitudes of boys and girls on
the ten aspects of sexual relationships is on the ranking of the different
attitudes in terms of frequency or percentage. Liberal attitude has the
highest number for the boys, followed by permissive attitude, and
healthy attitude. For the girls, on the other hand, the liberal attitude is
followed by healthy attitude, then, permissive attitude.
The difference in terms of percentage is also significant with
permissive attitude in favor of the boys. Healthy attitude are in favor
of the girls and liberal attitude.
The researcher recommends that further investigation be made
particularly on the following: (1) The causes of less shared sex attitudes
in comparison to more shared sex attitudes; (2) The factors that may
have caused prevailing sex permissiveness; and, (3) The factors that
may have caused a significant difference of sex attitudes between boys
and girls.
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IMPLICATIONS TO SEX EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE
The findings of this study seem to imply certain directions for sex
education and guidance for the junior and senior students of Villaba
National High School, which are the following:
1. Since 24 or 32.88% of boys and 17 or 17.17% of girls were
considered having permissive attitudes which the researcher
considers as far from being healthy, there is a need to guide and
instruct them religiously towards healthy sex values.
2. Since there is a difference of 15.71% on the permissive attitude
in favor of the boys, therefore they need more attention than the
girls on the areas of sex values.
3. Effective school year 2009 – 2010 the researcher will designate
two Guidance Counselors a male teacher for the boys and a
female teacher for the girls.
LITERATURE CITED
Best, J. W.
1990 Research in education. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Bjorklund, D
1998 Straight or Gay? Medical aspects of human sexuality, 93-98.
Carmela, Sister M. (Cabactulan, J. N.)
1981 The sex attitudes of male and female high school students in
Leyte: Rural and urban cases. Unpublished Thesis, Leyte State
College, Tacloban City.
Gallagher, R.
1993 Understanding your son’s adolescence. Boton: Little Brown
and Company.
Levy, M. R.
1992 Life and health: Targeting wellness. New York: Mc-Graw-
Hill, Inc.
JPAIR: Multidisciplinary Journal
132
Morgan, C. T.
1997 Attitudes and prejudices, a brief introduction to psychology.
New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Republic Act 9155
2001 An Act Instituting a Frame Work of Governance for Basic
Education, Establishing Authority and Accountability,
Renaming the Department of Education, Culture and Sports
as the Department of Education, and for other purposes.
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