So, what’s the best source of knowledge for youngsters when it comes to matters related to sex?

Parents and guardians. It’s with their help and knowledge that young people go on to achieve higher levels of sexual confidence, a new study has found.

This was among the revelations in A Path to Sexual Confidence, the latest Face of Global Sex Report by a condom company which explores the effectiveness of sex education by examining data from 26,000 people worldwide.

Its analysis measured levels of sexual confidence as this is an indicator of the benefits of sexual education, with greater confidence being associated with higher satisfaction and education levels.

The study revealed that comprehensive and inclusive sex education between the ages of 11 and 16 is vital for people to develop sexual confidence in later life. This also shows that those who have more confidence are better equipped to protect themselves against STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

Adolescence is the most inquisitive of all age-groups, says psychiatrist Samir Parikh. “That’s why instead of letting it get wrong information from random sundry sources, parents must turn educators themselves. After all, it’s imperative that sex education must come from the right source.” Elaborating on this, Parikh adds, “It’s not about telling youngsters about the sexual act but a lot more – aspects such as respect for the opposite sex and being a responsible decision-maker – it’s when these are looked at and adhered to that youngsters grow up to be sexually-confident individuals.”

However, despite being found to be the most successful confidence boosters, parents were listed as the eighth most likely source of sex education to be approached – falling well behind friends, the most cited source overall, as well as internet and TV. This is unfortunate, says Parikh, “because when parents turn educators, it shows in the individual – the way he conducts him/herself in the presence of the opposite sex, does not show-off unnecessarily and respects other people’s boundaries, etc. So, by being sexually confident, we do not mean confidence about sexuality alone but in all such matters which leads to him/her having a healthy and confident mindset and thinking,” says Parikh.

Adds Shivani Sachdev Gaur, consultant infertility specialist and gynecologist, “Parents must understand that in this age of the internet, youngsters can get wrong information about sex. So, they need to be practical and talk to their children themselves because only then will they know that their kids are on the right track.” And this, she says, protects children from STDs and unwanted pregnancies, etc.

Launching the report, Peter Roach of the company, hoped the findings will show a way ahead for the targeting of sex education programmes. “In particular, the importance of multiple sources working together to enhance sexual knowledge and skills from different points of view has been shown as a clear success factor in achieving higher levels of overall sexual confidence,” he said.

Professor Carl Latkin of the department of health, behaviour and society at Johns Hopkins University added, “Social marketing and school-based sex education programmes may want to consider methods of not only disseminating accurate information, but also of promoting discussions about sexual health and sexual confidence among peers and family members to make the topics socially acceptable and healthy norms sustainable.”