The number of Korean students enrolling in universities overseas is rapidly growing. However, these populations are underrepresented in sexuality related research, despite the possibility of sexually risky behavior in overseas university students. We examined the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of university students in Korea and studying in the United States. Data were collected—131 Korean students in Korea and in the US using a web-based self-report questionnaire system. Students in the US showed greater total sexual knowledge than students studied in Korea. There were differences in the sexual knowledge, attitude and behaviors according to general characteristics between both groups. Although students in the USA had a higher level of sexual knowledge, both students in the USA and in Korea had a low level of sexual knowledge overall.
There is no doubt that sexual values are influenced by disparate cultural, political, historical, and socioeconomic factors. In Western cultures, sexual behavior is often considered as a recreational activity, whereas Asian cultures view it as primarily procreative [
University students belong to the late adolescence developmental stage; they are physically mature and have vigorous sexual appetite [
In Korea, students have a native environment that includes family, friends, peers, and media to mitigate and support their sexual development as needed. In contrast, Korean students in the US suffer anxiety and depression due to environmental changes, acculturation stress, and a liberal lifestyle that results in negative sexual attitudes and behaviors [
The number of Korean students enrolling in universities in the United States is rapidly growing. About twelve percent (68,047) of foreign students in the US were Korean [
This study used a cross-sectional relational descriptive study design with a web-based self-report questionnaire.
Participants in this study were 131 Korean university students studying in Korea or in the USA. Sixty-four students were recruited from two universities in the USA and 67 students participated from four universities in four different cities in Korea. Inclusion criteria for the students in Korea were no experience of marriage or travel abroad for any purpose, and for students in the USA the criteria were no experience of marriage and having been studying overseas more than a year.
The research protocol, including the questionnaires, was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Pusan National University (PUN IRB/2014-01-HR). A study web site was developed that allowed participants to log in, enter and save their responses, and return later to continue or complete the questionnaire. We provided a preface for the participants, which explained the purpose of the study, the rights of participants (e.g., anonymity), and clearly indicated that study participation was voluntary with participants able to withdraw at any time.
We announced the project on the school board of each university to recruit participants from March to April, 2014. A total of 142 students in Korea or in the USA logged in the website and completed the questionnaire. However, 11 participants were excluded because they did not complete the survey. All students who completed the questionnaire were give 10-dollar gift coupon.
We used a web-based self-report instrument measuring sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes, and sexual behaviors, and also collected socio-demographic information such as age, gender, grade, living arrangements, and economic status.
For sexual knowledge assessment, we used a sexual knowledge scale developed by Woo [
A modified version of the sexual attitudes scale developed by Woo [
To measure sexual behaviors, the students were asked about their experience of sexual acts, including friendship, kissing/embracing, petting, sexual relationships, pregnancy, abortion, childbirth, sexually transmitted disease, sexual violence, shameful sexual acts during childhood, sexual acts caused by alcohol, sexual acts occurring through ignorance, pornographic magazine/video contact, and phone sex. We used the sexual behavior and impulse scales developed by Woo [
Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). To examine the differences between group variables, t-tests, ANOVAs, and Scheffé tests were performed. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the relationships among sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant.
The participants were 131 Korean students including 64 students studying in the U.S. and 67 students studying in Korea. For students in the US 59.4% were over 21 years old, 51.6% were female, 48.4% were freshmen, and 56.3% were cohabiting. Additionally, 68.7% reported a “medium” economic status. For the students in Korea, 43.3% were 19 years old, 56.7% were male, 52.2% were freshmen, and 67.2% were cohabiting. Additionally, 59.7% of this group reported a “medium” economic status.
There were no statistically significant differences between students in the Korea and in the U.S. in gender (t = −0.94, p = 0.347), grade (χ2 = 3.88, p = 0.274), living arrangements (t = 1.65, p = 0.199), and economic status (t = 1.16, p = 0.362), but there was in age (χ2 = 18.78, p < 0.001). To adjust for age we used analysis of covariance to determine whether there were any differences in the scores of sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors between students in the U.S.A. and in Korea.
Differences in sexual knowledge between students in the U.S.A. and in Korea are shown in
Differences in sexual attitudes between students in the USA and in Korea are shown in
Differences in sexual behaviors between students in the USA and in Korea are shown in
Variables | Students in U.S. | Students in Korea | F (p)* |
---|---|---|---|
M ± SD | M ± SD | ||
Sexual knowledge | 22.09 ± 6.76 | 18.32 ± 8.12 | 4.16 (0.044) |
Sexual organ | 4.89 ± 1.11 | 4.49 ± 1.87 | 2.90 (0.091) |
Pregnancy and delivery | 4.92 ± 1.81 | 4.56 ± 2.33 | 0.61 (0.436) |
Health on sex | 8.79 ± 4.49 | 6.52 ± 4.25 | 2.98 (0.087) |
Sexual act | 3.48 ± 1.68 | 2.74 ± 1.82 | 4.21 (0.042) |
*covariance: age.
Variables | Students in US | Students in Korea | F (p)* |
---|---|---|---|
M ± SD | M ± SD | ||
Sexual attitude | 2.82 ± 0.25 | 2.87 ± 0.34 | 1.86 (0.175) |
Awareness of marriage and sex | 2.88 ± 0.34 | 2.92 ± 0.39 | 1.72 (0.193) |
Abortion | 2.59 ± 0.34 | 2.68 ± 0.65 | 0.56 (0.457) |
Marriage and delivery | 2.55 ± 0.38 | 2.63 ± 0.55 | 1.41 (0.237) |
Virginal purity | 2.51 ± 0.93 | 2.54 ± 0.69 | 0.26 (0.608) |
Contraception | 2.98 ± 0.48 | 3.00 ± 0.44 | 0.16 (0.690) |
*covariance: age.
Variables | Students in US | Students in Korea | F (p)* |
---|---|---|---|
M ± SD | M ± SD | ||
Sexual behaviors | 2.09 ± 0.57 | 2.10 ± 0.55 | 0.03 (0.868) |
Friendship with opposite sex | 4.19 ± 1.00 | 4.22 ± 0.93 | 0.26 (0.613) |
Kiss/embracing | 3.83 ± 1.52 | 4.06 ± 1.02 | 1.92 (0.168) |
Petting | 3.05 ± 1.70 | 2.75 ± 1.51 | 0.80 (0.374) |
Sexual relationships | 2.80 ± 1.78 | 2.45 ± 1.59 | 1.14 (0.287) |
Pregnant | 1.30 ± 1.00 | 1.24 ± 0.65 | 0.02 (0.886) |
Abortion | 1.25 ± 0.97 | 1.34 ± 0.89 | 1.23 (0.269) |
Delivery | 1.19 ± 0.85 | 1.22 ± 0.57 | 0.35 (0.553) |
Sexual transmitted disease | 1.00 ± 0.00 | 1.19 ± 0.55 | 7.12 (0.009) |
Sex violence | 1.00 ± 0.00 | 1.33 ± 0.91 | 6.03 (0.015) |
Shameful sexual acts during childhood | 1.66 ± 1.32 | 1.21 ± 0.64 | 5.93 (0.016) |
Sexual acts caused by alcohol | 1.55 ± 1.15 | 1.73 ± 1.18 | 0.93 (0.336) |
Sexual acts against ignorance | 1.06 ± 0.24 | 1.34 ± 0.68 | 6.25 (0.014) |
Porno magazine/porno video contact | 3.05 ± 1.40 | 3.07 ± 1.43 | 0.57 (0.453) |
Phone sex | 2.35 ± 1.49 | 2.25 ± 1.29 | 0.17 (0.678) |
*covariance: age.
Scores of sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors according to general characteristics, including correlations among sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for students in Korea are shown in
Scores of sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors according to general characteristics, including correlations among sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in the USA are shown in
In spite of a high level of depression, anxiety, and stress related to acculturation or general life events, many international students do not use the available health services in their university or in the community [
Variables | Sexual Knowledge | Sexual Attitude | Sexual Behavior | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M ± SD | F/t (p) | M ± SD | F/t (p) | M ± SD | F/t (p) | ||
Age | |||||||
18 | 17.25 ± 10.03 | 0.29 | 2.68 ± 0.42 | 0.92 | 2.30 ± 0.63 | 1.55 | |
19 | 17.79 ± 8.15 | (0.832) | 2.90 ± 0.18 | (0.436) | 2.12 ± 0.54 | (0.210) | |
20 | 18.26 ± 7.35 | 2.89 ± 0.48 | 1.86 ± 0.54 | ||||
≥21 | 20.00 ± 8.34 | 2.91 ± 0.38 | 2.20 ± 0.51 | ||||
Gender | |||||||
Male | 19.02 ± 7.54 | 0.80 | 2.89 ± 0.39 | 0.53 | 2.19 ± 0.58 | 1.46 | |
Female | 17.41 ± 8.87 | (0.425) | 2.85 ± 0.28 | (0.617) | 1.99 ± 0.50 | (0.149) | |
Grade level | |||||||
Freshman | 16.20 ± 7.62 | 3.21 | 2.82 ± 0.35 | 2.60 | 2.04 ± 0.59 | 1.64 | |
Sophomore | 18.42 ± 9.00 | (0.029) | 2.91 ± 0.27 | (0.060) | 2.11 ± 0.50 | (0.190) | |
Junior | 23.12 ± 6.70 | 2.77 ± 0.17 | 2.47 ± 0.47 | ||||
Senior | 25.20 ± 2.77 | 3.23 ± 0.56 | 1.90 ± 0.40 | ||||
Living arrangement | |||||||
With someone | 18.15 ± 7.95 | −0.24 | 2.90 ± 0.37 | 1.05 | 2.02 ± 0.50 | −1.78 | |
Alone | 18.68 ± 8.64 | (0.806) | 2.81 ± 0.27 | (0.297) | 2.27 ± 0.61 | (0.079) | |
Economic status | |||||||
High | 19.81 ± 7.76 | 1.23 | 2.95 ± 0.42 | 1.57 | 2.31 ± 0.58 | 2.74 | |
Medium | 17.32 ± 8.30 | (0.221) | 2.82 ± 0.27 | (0.121) | 1.95 ± 0.48 | (0.008) | |
Correlation r(p) | |||||||
Sexual Attitude | 0.54 (0.665) | ||||||
Sexual Behavior | 0.07 (0.586) | 0.08 (0.529) | |||||
before using health services for sex-related health problems. This could be a simple health problem for the international student him/herself but could result in a serious domestic health issue by, for example, spreading sexually transmitted disease. Thus, we compared the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Korean university students attending college in the USA with those doing so in Korea.
We expected students in the USA would have a higher level of sexual knowledge, and less conservative sexual attitudes and behaviors than those in Korea because sexuality was more pervasive in US society than in Korea. Scores of total sexual knowledge for students in the USA were significantly higher than those in Korea, but there were no significant differences between students in the US and Korea in total scores for sexual attitudes and behaviors. Because of the lack of previous studies that have compared those sexual concepts among the same ethic population, living in different nations, we are limited in the comparisons we can make. One possible interpretation is related to the purpose of studying in the USA. In this study, we included Koreans who had student visa. We assumed that many of the students studying in the US would be the most able students, having strong academic motivations. To study in the US, they would have spent considerable effort, including learning English, as well as investing time in obtaining financial support. Therefore, students in the U.A would be expected to control their sexual impulses.
One interesting fact is that previous studies [
Variables | Sexual Knowledge | Sexual Attitude | Sexual Behavior | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M ± SD | F/t (p) | M ± SD | F/t (p) | M ± SD | F/t (p) | ||
Age | |||||||
18 | 21.33 ± 5.77 | 1.75 | 2.54 ± 0.32 | 1.58 | 2.40 ± 0.04 | 1.72 | |
19 | 19.06 ± 7.68 | (0.166) | 2.83 ± 0.24 | (0.204) | 1.83 ± 0.42 | (0.173) | |
20 | 21.00 ± 5.45 | 2.89 ± 0.17 | 2.27 ± 0.75 | ||||
≥21 | 23.57 ± 6.47 | 2.83 ± 0.26 | 2.13 ± 0.58 | ||||
Gender | |||||||
Male | 21.67 ± 6.59 | 0.47 | 2.81 ± 0.28 | −0.49 | 2.13 ± 0.59 | 0.52 | |
Female | 22.48 ± 7.00 | (0.637) | 2.83 ± 0.22 | (0.627) | 2.05 ± 0.56 | (0.606) | |
Grade level | |||||||
Freshman ͣ | 21.03 ± 7.50 | 2.66 | 2.72 ± 0.25 | 3.84 | 2.00 ± 0.40 | 5.70 | |
Sophomoreᵇ | 21.21 ± 5.43 | (0.056) | 2.92 ± 0.17 | (0.014) | 1.82 ± 0.51 | (0.002) | |
Junior ͨ | 28.57 ± 4.27 | 2.84 ± 0.36 | a < d† | 2.15 ± 0.51 | a < d, | ||
Senior ᵈ | 22.08 ± 5.74 | 2.95 ± 0.16 | 2.61 ± 0.76 | b < d† | |||
Living arrangement | |||||||
With someone | 21.61 ± 7.03 | −0.64 | 2.80 ± 0.26 | −0.95 | 2.14 ± 0.62 | 0.76 | |
Alone | 22.71 ± 6.47 | (0.522) | 2.86 ± 0.23 | (0.348) | 2.03 ± 0.51 | (0.448) | |
Economic status | |||||||
High | 22.50 ± 6.33 | 0.32 | 2.78 ± 0.28 | −0.85 | 2.17 ± 0.61 | 0.73 | |
Medium | 21.90 ± 7.01 | (0.749) | 2.84 ± 0.24 | (0.397) | 2.06 ± 0.56 | (0.471) | |
Correlation r(p) | |||||||
Sexual Attitude | 0.20 (0.116) | ||||||
Sexual Behavior | 0.39 (0.002) | 0.23 (0.071) | |||||
†Scheffe test.
knowledge and behavior. In contrast, Woo et al. [
Although the sexual knowledge scores of students in the USA were significantly higher than those in Korea, the scores showed but a moderate level of knowledge, with a mean of 46.2% - 56.4% correct answers. Compared with a previous study [
In this study, Korean college students in the US demonstrated more conservative attitudes and behaviors than domestic students studying in Korea. What factors could influence such conservative sexual attitudes and behaviors? First, the elementary and middle school years are when students begin to establish a sexual identity and develop their primary and secondary sexual characteristics [
Further studies might highlight the lack of, and need for, sex education as Korean students enroll in college. Students’ attitudes and behaviors related to promiscuity, dating, intercourse, and pregnancy could be skewed toward risky or unsafe actions because of their conservative sexual values. Further, adolescents born overseas, and living in the US six years or less, face increased peer pressures toward harmful, abnormal, or even violent sexual behavior [
According to previous studies [
Our study has several limitations. First, the findings cannot be generalized to the whole population, despite our attempts to recruit Korean students through six different universities located in diverse cities in Korea and in the U.S. Second, we did not assess the motivation or purpose for studying overseas, that is, whether studying overseas was the student’s own choice or whether he or she followed someone else’s decision. This motivation could influence sexual behaviors even if the overseas students were exposed to attractive sexual-cultural environments. Future studies would benefit from diversity in the population investigated. Corresponding studies would be needed for Korean adolescents or younger adults studying in the USA, Europe, or other countries in Asia, to offer a more global perspective on sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. The role of additional factors should also be considered, including the motivation for studying overseas and social factors like the support and influence of domestic friends.
Although Korean university students in the US had greater sexual knowledge than those studying in Korea, there were no significant differences in total scores assessing sexual attitudes and behaviors between the two groups in the present study. Additional studies would be needed to consider other factors and cultural enculturation. Furthermore, because both students in the USA and in Korea demonstrated a low level of sexual knowledge, enhanced sexual health strategies should be formulated for Korea, and overseas where international students study.
Young-SilBae,Dong-HeeKim, (2015) A Comparison of the Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Korean College Students Studying in Korea and in the United States. Open Journal of Nursing,05,1053-1062. doi: 10.4236/ojn.2015.511112