Exploring sexual myths and influencing factors among Muslim men in Turkey: a
cross-sectional analysis
#MMPMID41339795
Y?ld?z Karaahmet A
; Bilgiç F?
; Shafaati Laleh S
Basic Clin Androl
2025[Dec]; 35
(1
): 46
PMID41339795
show ga
BACKGROUND: This study investigates the relationship between belief in sexual
myths and socio-demographic variables, family planning behaviors, and sexual
value judgments among Muslim men in Turkey. The objective is to understand how
traditional and religiously rooted myths shape male sexual perceptions and
behaviors within a culturally sensitive context. RESULTS: The study involved 953
Muslim men from various regions of Turkey, utilizing an anonymous online survey
that included the validated Sexual Myths Scale (SMS) and researcher-developed
inventories assessing family planning behaviors and sexual values. The findings
revealed that men with lower levels of education (mean SMS score of 75.23) and
those living in extended families or rural areas exhibited significantly stronger
beliefs in sexual myths (p?0.05). Additionally, high levels of myth endorsement
(mean SMS score of 71.01 among non-users of family planning methods) were
associated with negative attitudes towards premarital sex and a strong emphasis
on female virginity prior to marriage, which are core principles rooted in
Islamic religious teachings. However, the disapproval of sexual activity
post-menopause and rigid gender role beliefs may reflect broader societal or
myth-based beliefs rather than being directly derived from religious doctrine.
Regression analysis revealed that sexual value judgments were significantly
associated with belief in sexual myths (? = ??0.18, p?0.001). Given that higher
scores on the sexual prejudice scale reflect less prejudiced, more positive
sexual values, this negative coefficient indicates that more negative or
prejudiced sexual value judgments (i.e., lower scores) are associated with
stronger endorsement of sexual myths. CONCLUSIONS: The results underscore the
influence of educational attainment, family structure, and sociocultural
environment on men?s beliefs in sexual myths. These findings emphasize the
necessity for culturally sensitive and male-oriented sexual education initiatives
aimed at addressing misinformation and challenging traditional prejudices.
Targeted interventions are crucial for fostering healthier, more informed sexual
attitudes in traditionally structured societies like Turkey. SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at
10.1186/s12610-025-00296-9.