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The sexual identity of 65 Malaysian male medical students was investigated by anonymous questionnaire. Of these students, 40% were aware of homosexual feelings prior to age 15 years, and 16% were so aware currently. There were correlations between current homosexual feelings and feminine sex dimorphic behavior during childhood and between current homosexual feelings and feminine gender identity. The results are discussed in light of results of a similar questionnaire completed by 138 male medical students in Sydney, Australia.

Little information is available concerning adolescent sexual offenders and their response to treatment. Of 45 sex offenders treated in two studies, 6 were adolescents and 21 of the 39 adults reported that their deviant behavior had commenced before or during adolescence. All 6 adolescents presented for treatment only following detection of their offenses, which in 3 led to legal charges. Of the 39 adults, 12 sought treatment voluntarily. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive covert sensitization, imaginal desensitization, medroxyprogesterone, or imaginal desensitization plus medroxyprogesterone. The response of the adults was equivalent to the best reported in the literature. Seven of the 39 required additional treatment, 3 being charged for further sexual offenses. Four of the 6 adolescents required additional treatment, 3 being charged with further sexual offenses. These differences were statistically significant. Adolescent sexual offenders may be more resistant to treatment because their sexual urges are under more direct hormonal control whereas in adults sexual urges are in part under the control of behavior completion mechanisms. Sexual offenses in adolescence need to be considered as at least as significant as those of adults, and more intensive follow-up treatment appears indicated in their management.

The semantic confusion in the use of the terms sexual and gender identity and role is discussed. Theories concerning the development of the sense of sexual identity in normals have been based largely on the sense of sexual identity in sexually deviant subjects. It is suggested that such subjects may have a stronger and more consistent sense of sexual identity than subjects unaware of sexually deviant impulses. Male medical students in two consecutive years anonymously completed a questionnaire concerning their sexual orientation, preference, role, and identity. In both years, students aware of a homosexual component answered the items investigating their sexual identity with greater consistency than did the students unaware of a homosexual component.