Relationship between the acculturation process and the attitudes toward sexual behaviors in people of Moroccan origin: a preliminary study

The phenomenon of international migrations and the influence of culture on sexuality have led to the development of studies that relate acculturation with sexual attitudes. However, to date, no study has related the acculturation process to sexual attitudes in Spain. Thus, the aim of the study was to relate the acculturation process to attitudes toward sexual behaviors in people of Moroccan origin in this country. A total of 110 people of Moroccan origin (51.8% women) between 18 and 30 years old participated. A scale of attitudes toward sexual behaviors, two scales of acculturation preferences in the most private areas proposed by the relative acculturation extended model (RAEM), and indicators of preferences and strategies in the sexual area were administered online. The results show that in women there is a negative relationship between the maintenance of the origin culture in the RAEM areas and attitudes toward sexual behaviors, and in men there is a positive relationship between the adoption of the host culture and these attitudes. The results also show that adoption preferences and the adoption of sexual customs in Spanish culture are positively related to these attitudes. These results confirm the importance of the acculturation process in the attitudes toward sexual behaviors in people of Moroccan origin in Spain.