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Prevalence of Sexual and Gender Minorities in a Swedish Adolescent Community Population : Stability vs. Fluidity of Sexual Orientation

Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma LU ; Kapetanovic, Sabina ; Skoog, Therése ; Askelöf, Susanna LU orcid ; Håkansson, Anders LU orcid and Gerdner, Arne (2025) In Archives of Sexual Behavior 54(8). p.3079-3093
Abstract

This study examined the prevalence, stability, and fluidity of sexual orientation as well as the prevalence of gender discontent. From a community sample (i.e., all adolescents of the age cohort were invited), this study analyzed data from 1513 adolescents (50.5% females), who replied to questions about sexual attraction on at least one of three occasions (age 14: n = 623; age 15: n = 1322; and age 17: n = 949). Sexual orientation was operationalized from the attraction pattern and shifts in that pattern were analyzed longitudinally. Gender discontent was measured only once, at 17 years. Various types of sexual orientation were found, including homo-, bi-, a/non-, and heterosexual (on all three occasions) alongside gender discontent (at... (More)

This study examined the prevalence, stability, and fluidity of sexual orientation as well as the prevalence of gender discontent. From a community sample (i.e., all adolescents of the age cohort were invited), this study analyzed data from 1513 adolescents (50.5% females), who replied to questions about sexual attraction on at least one of three occasions (age 14: n = 623; age 15: n = 1322; and age 17: n = 949). Sexual orientation was operationalized from the attraction pattern and shifts in that pattern were analyzed longitudinally. Gender discontent was measured only once, at 17 years. Various types of sexual orientation were found, including homo-, bi-, a/non-, and heterosexual (on all three occasions) alongside gender discontent (at age 17). The results revealed the fluidity of sexual orientation during adolescence, including the decrease of nonsexuality from 14 to 17 years in both girls (from 10.2 to 2.1%) and boys (from 9.4 to 3.4%) shifting to stronger sexual attractions, primarily heterosexuality (girls from 69.4 to 74.8%; boys from 83.1 to 88.5%). Bisexuality emerged as more prevalent among girls than boys (18.2 vs. 4.5%). Notably, stability in a homosexual pattern was lower than other sexual orientations, since few remained in that same group from 15 to 17 years old (girls 17.6%, boys 29.4%), suggesting frequent shifts to and from other groups. Gender discontent was endorsed by 1.7% with about the same number of both genders and an array of sexual orientations was shown. These findings emphasize the nuanced developmental trajectories that adolescents navigate while forming their sexual identities.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Adolescent, Male, Female, Sexual and Gender Minorities/statistics & numerical data, Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data, Sweden/epidemiology, Prevalence, Adolescent Behavior/psychology, Longitudinal Studies, Heterosexuality/statistics & numerical data
in
Archives of Sexual Behavior
volume
54
issue
8
pages
3079 - 3093
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:105014392582
  • pmid:40880000
ISSN
0004-0002
DOI
10.1007/s10508-025-03226-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2025. The Author(s).
id
72c982da-8f4c-4730-8410-b56b9d688cdd
date added to LUP
2025-10-24 14:30:31
date last changed
2025-10-25 04:01:05
@article{72c982da-8f4c-4730-8410-b56b9d688cdd,
  abstract     = {{<p>This study examined the prevalence, stability, and fluidity of sexual orientation as well as the prevalence of gender discontent. From a community sample (i.e., all adolescents of the age cohort were invited), this study analyzed data from 1513 adolescents (50.5% females), who replied to questions about sexual attraction on at least one of three occasions (age 14: n = 623; age 15: n = 1322; and age 17: n = 949). Sexual orientation was operationalized from the attraction pattern and shifts in that pattern were analyzed longitudinally. Gender discontent was measured only once, at 17 years. Various types of sexual orientation were found, including homo-, bi-, a/non-, and heterosexual (on all three occasions) alongside gender discontent (at age 17). The results revealed the fluidity of sexual orientation during adolescence, including the decrease of nonsexuality from 14 to 17 years in both girls (from 10.2 to 2.1%) and boys (from 9.4 to 3.4%) shifting to stronger sexual attractions, primarily heterosexuality (girls from 69.4 to 74.8%; boys from 83.1 to 88.5%). Bisexuality emerged as more prevalent among girls than boys (18.2 vs. 4.5%). Notably, stability in a homosexual pattern was lower than other sexual orientations, since few remained in that same group from 15 to 17 years old (girls 17.6%, boys 29.4%), suggesting frequent shifts to and from other groups. Gender discontent was endorsed by 1.7% with about the same number of both genders and an array of sexual orientations was shown. These findings emphasize the nuanced developmental trajectories that adolescents navigate while forming their sexual identities.</p>}},
  author       = {{Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma and Kapetanovic, Sabina and Skoog, Therése and Askelöf, Susanna and Håkansson, Anders and Gerdner, Arne}},
  issn         = {{0004-0002}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Adolescent; Male; Female; Sexual and Gender Minorities/statistics & numerical data; Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data; Sweden/epidemiology; Prevalence; Adolescent Behavior/psychology; Longitudinal Studies; Heterosexuality/statistics & numerical data}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{3079--3093}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Archives of Sexual Behavior}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of Sexual and Gender Minorities in a Swedish Adolescent Community Population : Stability vs. Fluidity of Sexual Orientation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10508-025-03226-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10508-025-03226-y}},
  volume       = {{54}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}