Child sexual behaviors in school context: Age and gender differences

The main purpose of the study was to explore the child sexual\r\nbehaviors that Italian teachers have observed in the school\r\ncontext. A representative sample of 227 children, from 5 to\r\n10 years old, was rated by their teachers through the Child\r\nSexual Behavior Inventory. Frequencies of sexual behaviors\r\namong children aged 5 to 6, 7 to 8, and 9 to 10 are presented.\r\nYounger children showed a broader range of sexual behaviors\r\nthat decrease with the growing age, such as males in comparison\r\nto females. Moreover, findings showed that child sexual\r\nbehavior is not only related to age and gender but also to\r\nfamily characteristics. These results suggested that child sexual\r\nbehaviors reported by teachers through the Child Sexual\r\nBehavior Inventory may provide useful information about the\r\ndevelopment of children’s sexuality. The knowledge of age\r\nappropriate sexual behaviors can help teachers discern normal\r\nsexual behaviors from problematic sexual behaviors.