Objective To evaluate and compare the implicit and explicit attitudes towards homosexuality in different age groups

so as to determine the priorities of our current sex psychological education efforts.Methods Thirty junior high school students（aged 12 to 15 years）

30 college students（aged 18 to 22 years）

and 30 middle-aged adults（aged 45 to 50 years）voluntarily participated in this study.The attitudes toward homosexuality scale and Implicit Association Test（IAT）were used to evaluate the implicit and explicit attitudes of these participants towards homosexuality

and then data were collected and statistically analyzed.Results The total attitades toward homosexuality scale scores in junior high school students

college students

and middle-aged adults were63.355±20.395

64.194±20.056

and 70.737±18.673

respectively.The one-way analysis of variance showed that

the main effect of population was significant in the total attitades toward homosexuality scale score and its subscores（P<0.05）.And further post-hoc test revealed that

middle-aged adults had significantly higher attitades toward homosexuality scale total score and its subscores compared with junior high school students and college students（P<0.05）.The IAT effect sizes in junior high school students

college students

and middle-aged adults were 359.686±168.961 ms

368.790±165.159 ms

and 362.468±170.143 ms

respectively;the differences in this effect size were not statistically significant among these populations（P>0.05）.In addition

the correlation coefficients（r）between the total attitades toward homosexuality scale score and IAT effect size were-0.058

-0.033

and 0.110 in junior high school students

college students

and middle-aged adults

respectively;but no statistical significance was observed（P>0.05）.Conclusion Efforts to disseminate sex knowledge and promote sex education should be made in both student population and older age groups.Meanwhile

new media platforms

which may combine words

pictures and short videos

can be utilized for better dissemination of sex science and sex education knowledge in a more acceptable manner for middle-aged adults.Besides

in sex knowledge and sex psychological education efforts

it is important to focus not only on dissemination

but also provide opportunities and encourage contacts with lesbians and gays

which may help to fundamentally reverse the stereotype toward homosexuality.