Psychosexual characteristics of female university students in Brazil

Freshmen women (N = 240) at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil responded to a questionnaire concerning several aspects of their sexuality from the beginning of adolescence. Topics such as body changes during puberty, menarche, menstruation, masturbation, sexual identity, virginity, sexual relations, maternity, contraceptives, abortion, and attitudes toward AIDS were investigated, as well as the level and sources of information about sex and the quality of the subjects' relationships with their parents. The majority of the subjects revealed satisfactory development in most of the aspects surveyed, as well as in their relationships with their parents except where sexual issues were concerned. Nevertheless, most of the students reported menstrual disturbances, and a significant number of the sexually active reported inappropriate behavior in relation to contraception and AIDS prevention. The results of the research are analyzed using psychodynamic theories of sexual development.