Robbins looked at 2009 data from 800 teens who participated in the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB). The adolescents ranged in age from 14 — by which time masturbation prevalence is pretty high — to 17. Teens (and their parents) were asked how frequently they had masturbated during the previous three months, the previous year and in general. They also responded to questions about condom use and if they masturbated alone or with a partner.

Researchers found that boys — but not girls — who masturbated appeared more likely to use condoms during intercourse.

Boys took more pleasure in self-pleasure: half said they masturbated at least twice a week, but only 23% of girls reported the same frequency. While fewer than half of girls reported ever masturbating, the survey found that close to three-quarters of boys said they did.