Adolescent Student’s Attitude Scale for Sexuality (Barros et al., 2020)

• Populations: Portuguese adolescents
• Age ranges: 13-16; 8th and 12th grade students
• Languages: Portuguese
• Countries: Portugal

Items

Subscales:

• Family planning and sex education
• First sexual relationship
• Violation of sexual rights and who to turn to in the event of unplanned pregnancies
• Gender expression and identity
• Unplanned pregnancy and parenting

Family Planning and Sex Education

For you, does family planning mean:

• The prevention of sexually transmitted infections 
• Help having a healthy sex life 
• Information/obtaining contraceptive methods 
• Do you agree that both members of the couple should share the responsibility for family planning? 
• Do you consider it important to have places where you can talk to professionals about your doubts and problems related to sexuality? 

In your opinion, sex education:

• Helps you to live your sexuality more responsibly 
• Helps you to have more information 
• Clarifies your doubts 
• Helps you not get sexually transmitted infections 
• Should be addressed at school 

First Sexual Relationship

Adolescents / young people have their first sexual relationship because...

• They drank too much 
• They got an older boyfriend or girlfriend 
• They are afraid that their partner will be angry 
• They are afraid that their partner will abandon them 
• They feel pressured by colleagues/friends

Violation of Sexual Rights and who to turn to in the event of an Unplanned Pregnancy Subscale

In a couple, if one of the members tries to pressure the other into having sex and the other does not want it, they should:

• Refuse 
• Clearly say they are not interested 
• Do it so as not to lose them 
• Ask for respect of their decision 
• End the relationship 
• Ask their parents for help 
• Ask a healthcare professional for help 

Gender Expression and Identity

To what extent do you believe that:

• Genitals organs define someone as a man or woman? 
• Clothing defines someone as a man or woman 
• The use of makeup defines someone as a man or woman 
• Society defines the correct behavior for being a man or a woman 
• Each person must identify and accept himself or herself as a man or woman regardless of the sexual organs they have at birth 

In adolescence, do you believe that masturbation:

• Is an act that should be avoided 
• Is a form of knowing one’s body 
• Is mandatory 
• Is a behavior that harms health 
• I do not know what it means 

Unplanned Pregnancy and Parenting

• If in a couple the woman becomes pregnant, they should have an abortion 
• If in a couple the woman becomes pregnant, they should keep the child 

Responses

 Likert-type answer:

1. I totally disagree
2. I disagree
3. I do not agree nor disagree
4. I agree
5. I totally agree

Scoring

Not Reported

Citations

Barros T. M. K. B. H., Ramalho S. I. H. S. M. A., Gordo C. M. G. O., Frade J. M. G., Luz A., Moleiro P., Dixe M. D. A. C. R. (2020) Adolescent Students’ Attitudes Towards Sexuality: The Construction And Validation Of A Scale. Rev Paul Pediatr. 16;39: E2019372. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33206841/