A Study on the State of Recognition and Experience of Love, Sex Knowledge, and Self-esteem of Youths

청소년의 신체접촉 양상에 대한 인식과 경험실태, 성지식과 자아존중감에 대한 연구

Purpose: This study was to identify the state of recognition and experience on love, sex knowledge and self-esteem in youths who attended middle and high schools. Method: Data were collected from 785 Youths of those schools from Aug. 2004 to Nov. 2004. Collected data were analysed through $x^2-test$ and ANOVA. Result: The average flee of the subjects was $16.87{\pm}1.17$(girls) and $16.64{\pm}75$ (boys) years old, and 24.3% of them discussed sex with their parents. The youths' most frequent love experiences showed hand in hand(boys 73.6%, girls 80.8%), and followed by shoulder in shoulder(boys 60.4%, girls 68.5%), arm in arm(boys 57.6%, girls 67.8%), hug(boys 53.3%, girls 57.0%) and light kiss(boys 50.0%, girls 37.9%). There were differences in sexual experiences between boys and girls coitus and pregnancy in boys(23.6%, 5.8%) and girls( .5%, .3%). The scores of sex knowledge were 68.78(girls) and 62.50(boys), and self-esteem 61.05(boys) and 74.38(girls). Sex knowledge were related to gender, and self-esteem were related to sender, age, and discussion with their parents regarding sex. Conclusion: With the results above, majority of Youths were not a hindrance mostly about friendship and love expressions. Support and encouragement from school. home, and society are required so that eye-level sex education by age and positive self-esteem may be formed.