1996-1997 Study on Boys and Health

Title of the project: Qualitative investigation of boys concerning health problems relevant to sex education, as well as sex education and medical advice

Duration:

July 1, 1996 – December 31, 1997

Project leader:

Dr. Reinhard Winter
Gunter Neubauer
IRIS FB Jungen und Männer
Lorettoplatz 6
72072 Tübingen

Target group:

Boys and male adolescents

Sample:

64 key persons and experts 181 boys and male adolescents (9 – 18 years old)

Method:

Explorative focus group interviews
Qualitative interviews based on guidelines

Objective:

Ideologies of masculinity put pressure on boys. They influence their sexuality and health to a large extent. These are the central results of an extensive literary investigation during which numerous studies and publications in the field of „sexuality, health and guidance of boys“ were analysed. So far a sex-related approach to the sexuality and health of boys has not been taken into account or at least too little. So important paradigms for the sex education and guidance of boys are missing.

This qualitative investigation deals with healt problems relevant to sex education, with sex education and medical advice of boys from a point of view explicitly held by boys and men. The study is structured by the following four levels of investigation (basic dimensions): ideological and sociopsychological level (especially ideologies of masculinity and their consequences in behaviour); socio-cultural level (culture, media, everyday life); individual and self-relating level (self relation, deficiencies of competence, performance, normality); individual and physical level (relation to one’s body, physical socialisation, body projections).

This investigatory approach takes a double perspective. An „external perspective“ obtained by a survey carried out on key persons and experts and an „internal perspective“ obtained by the survey of boys and male adolescents. Differentiations specific to age and region are aimed at (younger and older adolescents; rural area/small town; conurbation/large city).

Publications

BZgA (1999): Kompetent, authentisch und normal? Aufklärungsrelevante Gesundheitsprobleme, Sexualaufklärung und Gesundheitsberatung von Jungen, in: Forschung und Praxis der Sexualaufklärung und Familienplanung, Band 14, Köln, Bestellnummer 13300014

Winter, R., Neubauer, G. (1999): Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst!, in: BzgA (Hg.): Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen. Teil 2 – Jugendliche, Forschung und Praxis der Sexualaufklärung und Familienplanung, Band 13.2, Köln, Bestellnummer 133 001 14

To be ordered from: 
BZgA, 51101 Köln,
by Fax +49221/8992-257, by E-Mail: order@bzga.de