Gagnon J H
Arch Sex Behav. 1985 Oct;14(5):451-66. doi: 10.1007/BF01542005.
As part of a larger study of parental roles in sex education, a stratified probability sample of 1482 parents of three- to eleven-year-old children were interviewed about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices with reference to "masturbation" on the part of their children. A large majority of parents accepted the fact that children did masturbate, a smaller majority agreed that masturbation among children was alright, but less than half wanted their children as adolescents to have a positive attitude toward masturbation. Identified events of masturbation were reported to be more common among boys than girls, with mothers reporting higher incidences for both boys and girls than fathers reported. Parents with higher levels of education and liberal sexual attitudes were more positive on most attitudinal items about masturbation and reported a higher incidence of such conduct among their children. Parents who attended church more frequently were less likely to report positive views and conduct. Parents who reported they had masturbated as children were most likely to report positive views and a high incidence of masturbation on the part of their children. In general mothers played a more important role than fathers in transmitting knowledge and were more liberal in their attitudes. Negative information and attitudes toward masturbation remains a common response of parents when they are confronted with children's masturbation.
作为一项关于父母在性教育中角色的更大规模研究的一部分，对1482名三至十一岁孩子的父母进行了分层概率抽样访谈，询问他们关于孩子“自慰”方面的知识、态度和行为。绝大多数父母承认孩子确实会自慰，较少的多数人同意孩子自慰是正常的，但不到一半的父母希望他们处于青春期的孩子对自慰持积极态度。据报告，自慰行为在男孩中比女孩中更常见，母亲报告的男孩和女孩自慰发生率都高于父亲报告的发生率。教育程度较高且性态度较为开放的父母在大多数关于自慰的态度问题上更为积极，并报告他们孩子中此类行为的发生率较高。更频繁去教堂做礼拜的父母不太可能报告积极的观点和行为。报告自己小时候自慰过的父母最有可能报告对孩子自慰持积极观点且发生率较高。总体而言，母亲在传递知识方面比父亲发挥着更重要的作用，且态度更为开放。当父母面对孩子自慰时，对自慰的负面信息和态度仍是他们常见的反应。
