No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
"What if You Already Know Everything About Sex?" Content Analysis of Questions From Early Adolescents in a Middle School Sex Education Program
Abstract
To assess sixth graders' knowledge and curiosity about sex-related topics that can guide the development of sexual health education and healthcare delivery.
Sixth graders (n = 795) in eight ethnically diverse schools participating in an evaluation of a sex education curriculum submitted 859 anonymous questions that were content analyzed. The χ(2) analysis examined whether the themes varied by coed/single-sex environments or by school-level sexual risk.
Sexual activity, female anatomy, reproduction, and puberty were the most frequently mentioned topics, whereas, questions on STIs, sexual violence, and drug/alcohol use were fewer. Questions that avoided sexual topics came from lower sexual-risk schools; students at higher-risk schools asked about sexual initiation, contraception, vaginal and anal sex, general health, and pain during sex. Single-sex classrooms elicited more direct and explicit questions about sex.
The results are relevant to educators and healthcare providers who ask and answer questions from early adolescents regarding sexual health.
... One way this is accomplished is by focusing on education within school-based settings. School-based programs can be effective at changing attitudes towards sexual violence and reducing risk of sexual violence perpetration and victimization (Banyard, et al., 2019;Charmaraman, Lee, & Erkut, 2012;Grossman, et al., 2014;Santelli et al., 2018;Vivolo et al., 2010). However, current school-based programs have many limitations and must overcome a number of barriers to become effective (Eisenberg, et al., 2013;Fagan & Catalano, 2012;Santelli et al., 2018). ...
... Prevention programs for high school students educate, provide skills, and change attitudes and behaviors associated with sexual violence. Effective efforts at the high school level utilize components such as comprehensive sex education, gender transformative programming, and the combination of primary prevention and risk reduction strategies (Charmaraman, et al., 2012;Grossman, et al., 2014;Menning & Holtzman, 2015;Santelli, et al., 2018). ...
... Comprehensive sex education includes not only accurate medical information and resources, but also components related to developing refusal skills, exploring gender dynamics, and discussing features of sexual pleasure (Charmaraman, et al., 2012;Grossman, et al., 2014;Santelli, et al., 2018). The implementation of comprehensive sex education programs, when compared to other sexual education strategies, resulted in delayed onset of initial sexual experiences, higher rates of accurate knowledge about sexual health, and reduced rates of sexual violence (Charmaraman, et al., 2012;Grossman, et al., 2014;Santelli, et al., 2018). ...
Lessons as a prevention intern: Eliminating sexual violence through school-based programs
Authors: Emily Spalding , Dawn M. Salgado
Abstract
Every 73 seconds another person in America is sexually assaulted. For my senior practicum, I worked at Sexual Assault Resource Center, which provides advocacy and support services, including crisis intervention and counseling, for survivors of sexual violence. My goals for my time with SARC included developing knowledge and skills related to being a trauma therapist, learning about how a nonprofit operates, and gaining an understanding of sex education and sexual violence prevention programs. As a Sexual Assault Advocate and Education and Prevention Intern at SARC, my primary responsibilities involved engaging in community outreach events, delivering educational workshops, and presenting prevention curriculum in schools. As a result of my participation, I became interested in researching school-based prevention strategies and programs aimed at reducing sexual violence, as well as their focus areas, strengths, and limitations. My research and practicum experience reframed the way I viewed prevention work, provided insight into effective prevention strategies, and reminded me of why I believe so strongly in early prevention education to reduce sexual violence.
Keywords: adolescence, prevention, sex education, sexual violence, school-based
How to Cite: Spalding, E. and Salgado, D.M., 2020. Lessons as a prevention intern: Eliminating sexual violence through school-based programs. International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 12(2), pp.1–19. DOI: http://doi.org/10.7710/2168-0620.0295
... The study by Seaborne (2015) suggests that incorporating PA in sexual education will give broad understanding to teenagers and adolescents about sex education. 14 In another survey by Charmaraman (2012), 795 eight grade students in eight ethnically diverse schools in Massachusetts were surveyed about the sex education topics. The research indicates that simple sexual topics were more frequently discussed than a complex sexual issue, and single gender classroom asked more questions about sexual education topics. ...
Sex education in Indonesia still taboos to talk in an educational context; however, sexual abuse, free sex, and abortion are increasing more and more. This situation more likely will get in an emergency when criminal code bill article 414 about showing contraception tools to children is applied because it is considered cut off sexual education teaching and against HIV/AIDS and family planning campaign. This article focuses on analyzing criminal code bill article 414 toward sex education in Indonesia and discussing possible solutions for including sex education in the school curriculum. Several critics addressed in criminal code article 414, and several solutions were given in this article for including sex education in the Indonesian curriculum. There is some limitation occurred toward this article, especially, the literature which addressed this issue is limited. In addition, it seems the experts are not discussing about this issue regularly. Pendidikan seks di Indonesia masih tabu untuk dibicarakan dalam konteks pendidikan; namun, pelecehan seksual, seks bebas, dan aborsi semakin meningkat. Situasi ini kemungkinan besar terjadi dalam keadaan darurat ketika RUU KUHP pasal 414 tentang menunjukkan alat kontrasepsi kepada anak-anak diterapkan karena dianggap memotong pengajaran pendidikan seksual dan menentang HIV/AIDS dan kampanye keluarga berencana. Artikel ini berfokus pada analisis RUU KUHP pasal 414 terhadap pendidikan seks di Indonesia dan membahas solusi yang memungkinkan untuk memasukkan pendidikan seks dalam kurikulum sekolah. Beberapa kritik dibahas dalam pasal 414 KUHP, dan beberapa solusi diberikan dalam artikel ini untuk memasukkan pendidikan seks dalam kurikulum Indonesia. Ada beberapa batasan yang terjadi pada artikel ini, terutama, literatur yang membahas masalah ini terbatas. Selain itu, tampaknya para ahli tidak membahas masalah ini secara reguler. Samsu Alam Maddussila Criminal Code Bill Article 414 and Sex Education in Indonesia 408
... With a school nurse, the girls would also address the issue of sexuality, parenting education and the topic of marriage. In the study, the authors [37] found out in sixth grade students that the most common topics for discussion were sexual activity, female anatomy, reproduction and puberty. There were fewer questions about sexually transmitted diseases, sexual violence, drug use or alcohol. ...
Background: Developmentally appropriate evidence-based sexual health education should be included as part of a comprehensive school health education program and be accessible to all students. The registered school nurse is a valuable resource to parents and educators in this area and supports the implementation of evidence-based sexual health education programs that promote healthy sexual development for adolescents. Methods: The research group consisted of 438 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years in a selected region in Slovakia, 186 boys and 252 girls. Average age of the girls was 13.2 and the boys 13.3 years. A nurse—a specialist in community nursing—collected the data using a self-designed questionnaire. The questions evaluated by the five-point Likert scale focused on finding out the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents to the role of school nurses regarding sexuality and reproductive health. Results were analyzed using parametric comparison tests with significance value 0.05: Student t-test for independent samples. Results: The girls and the boys most often drew information on sexuality and reproductive health from their parents and friends. The evaluation of the adolescents’ views on who should be a competent professional in the field of sexual education at schools found statistically significant differences between the boys and girls. For the boys and girls, a sexologist received the most significant assessment of competence. The interest in a school nurse in a school environment would be statistically significantly more appreciated by the girls compared to the boys, not just for solving problems related to healthy lifestyle, but also regarding sexuality, parenting and marriage. The adolescents consider the education for marriage and parenthood as the least discussed issue at present. In evaluating topics the adolescents would discuss, there were statistically significant differences between the boys and girls. Conclusions: A community or school nurse would also be able to successfully perform sexual education at schools. In Slovakia, this applied nursing discipline is lacking.
... Charmaraman et al. [15], asserts in their research that an understanding of the knowledge that supports sexual behaviors in adolescents may heighten the quality of results that interventions for early adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviors will generate. ...
Youths being in their formative years are extremely curious and adventurous and would attempt to get answers to their questions at any cost and from anywhere. This is also the case of sexually-related information. Studies have shown that deficient sex education has led to inappropriate practices/involvement among children and adolescents and subsequently, different social vices that are threatening to the society. However, with the advent and proliferation of smart phones, tablets and other gadgets, coupled with the internet technology, disseminating apt information or knowledge to youths and adolescents have been made much easier. Research has shown that these vices are reduced when children/adolescents are exposed to comprehensive formal/informal sex education. This research thus seeks to investigate the viability of applying ICT, specifically a mobile application to proliferate correct information to adolescents as a means of informal education. This is achieved by studying relevant literature and administering questionnaires to students in 5 secondary institutions and 2 Universities. The results reflect their need for adequate information and their readiness to engage such a platform. The framework of such a mobile application is also presented.
... Categories with significant differences between age groups are marked with an asterisk. individual sixth graders in sex education classes [31]. Despite these methodological differences, results were similar to our study, i.e., questions on sexual activity and behaviors, anatomy, and relationships were asked most frequently. ...
Purpose
Sex education programs need to modify their focus in light of changing societal norms and increasing exposure to pornography. This study investigates what adolescents want to know about the sexuality of the opposite sex. This will allow practitioners to adjust sex education curricula to the needs of adolescents, thereby supporting the establishment of healthy, respectful, and sexually fulfilling relationships.
Methods
Two thousand three hundred forty-three adolescents from the age of 11–19 years (123 classes) were asked to formulate questions addressed to the opposite sex as part of peer-led sex education classes, where girls and boys were divided into separate groups. Groups of 10–12 individuals each formulated about 11 questions, resulting in a total of 2,625 questions. The questions were categorized using content analysis.
Results
The largest portion of questions addressed sexual interaction (35.8%), with many questions further addressing sexual preference (e.g., oral sex, sex positions) and the logistics and qualitative aspects of first-time sexual intercourse. Adolescents were also interested in questions about the body (e.g., anatomy, body hair, 15.2%), relationships (e.g., love, dating, 13.9%), ideal characteristics of men/women (10.5%), masturbation (10.1%), and pornography (7.3%).
Conclusion
Adolescents show a high degree of interest in understanding the feelings and perceptions of the opposite sex. Acquiring this knowledge could be beneficial in building emotionally and physically fulfilling relationships. To increase adolescents' sexual and relationship competence, sexual education curricula should encompass pleasure and desire aspects of sexuality, initiating and managing relationships, societal ideals, and addressing pornography, in addition to sexual and reproductive health knowledge.
... Las conductas de riesgo son comportamientos que pueden directa o indirectamente comprometer el bienestar y la salud de los jóvenes; hay muchos factores de riesgo que llevan a incurrir en conductas peligrosas por lo que se precisa la identificación de los mismos para tomar acciones que lleven a su reducción, en lo que influirá además el reforzamiento de los factores protectores. f) Actividad sexual [36][37][38] La genitalidad ocupa ahora un lugar clave. Pasa de una indefinición sexual a la definición de una posición sexuada: a través de los procesos de identificación. ...
Adolescence can be considerate time of risks and opportunities, transformations and changes that may involve the emergence of risk behaviors, dangerous for themselves and future stages are experienced, it is influenced by social, economic and cultural factors affecting the personal, family, community and social level. Among the most frequent risk behaviors are alcoholic beverages drinking, smoking, sexual risk behavior, suicidal behavior and violence, among others. This paper reviews studies that have been published relating to the reasons that can be taken into account to provide better care for this population group focusing on the conceptual issues that may define its future development sources where information was extracted for the literature review were mainly; PubMed, Google Scholar and Ebsco and search words used: adolescence, investing in adolescent care, risk factors, vulnerability, English and Spanish languages were considered.
... Yet, there is little research on young people's sexual inquiries. Some studies have analyzed anonymous questions from middle school students, finding that they mostly want to know about puberty, pregnancy, menstruation, anatomy, and sexual activity (Charmaraman, Lee, & Erkut, 2012;Moreno, Breuner, & Lozano, 2008). A study of anonymous questions submitted online to a teen website found most questions to be about pregnancy, services, and contraception, but rarely about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (Vickberg, Kohn, Franco, & Criniti, 2003). ...
During the high school years, most young people in the United States receive school-based sexuality education, but there is little research on what they want to know about sex and sexuality but may be afraid to ask. This study is a content analysis of anonymous questions about sex (N = 645) asked by ninth-grade students from the greater Los Angeles area. A sample of predominantly lower-income and Latino/a students submitted anonymous questions before participating in sexuality education. Results show that young people are eager to understand how to use birth control and prevent pregnancy, have misinformation about sex and sexuality, and are misinformed on many topics. Results are discussed in light of what educators and others can do to help young people develop a safe, healthy sex life.
... According to a study by Charmaraman, Lee, and Erkut (2012), sexual activity, female anatomy, reproduction, and puberty are the most frequently discussed topics in schools; whereas sexual violence and drug/alcohol use are less frequently discussed. Although this study was limited to the investigation of cognitive and emotional factors in learning about condom use, future studies may focus on different topics within safe sex education. ...
Sexual topics are attractive to young adults and this may invoke substantial attention that diverts their thinking regarding sexual intervention to engage learning contents. The aim of this study was to explore students’ mindfulness when learning how to use condoms from watching videos on a social media (i.e., YouTube), and to self-assess their mindfulness, which reflected to their continuance intention to learn about safe sex via social media, mediated by their perception of hedonic and utilitarian values. Data from 132 senior high students were collected and subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the neuroticism personality trait was positively correlated to mindfulness, but openness was negatively correlated to mindfulness. Mindfulness was positively correlated to both hedonic and utilitarian experiential values, and both experiential values were positively correlated to continuance intention to learn about safe sex via social media. The implications of this study suggest that social media may be a useful channel for senior high school students to learn sexual health concepts.
... In schools, adolescents learnt about the spectrum of sexual acts and particularly noncoital sex through anonymous question sessions. This reflects findings from a study from the United States that analysed the content of anonymous questions written by 795 pupils 11-12 years old and found three times as many questions related to non-coital sex, compared to vaginal sex [35]. This trend indicates that adolescents see their teacher as an appropriate source of this information on diverse sexual acts, however the current taboo of the topic means they only ask in the context of anonymity. ...
Background:
Sexual and reproductive rights include access to accurate and appropriate information in order to make informed decisions. In the current age of media globalization and Internet, adolescents are exposed to information about sexual health and sexuality from a myriad of sources. The objective of this study was to explore sources of information and adolescent learning about sexual health and sexuality in Santiago, Chile.
Methods:
Data collection included four focus group discussions with a total of 24 adolescents 18-19 years old, 20 semi-structured interviews with adolescents 16-19 years old, and seven interviews with key informants working with adolescents. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis.
Results:
The primary sources of sexual health and sexuality information were parents, teachers and friends, whilst secondary sources included health professionals for females and Internet for males. Information provided by the trusted sources of parents, teachers and health professionals tended to focus on biological aspects of sexuality, particularly pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Limited emphasis was placed on topics such as love, attraction, pleasure, relationships, abstinence and sexual violence. Information focused primarily on heterosexual relations and reproduction. Adolescents learnt about relationships and sexual acts through friends, partners and, for many males, pornography. Findings indicate a lack of available information on partner communication, setting personal limits, and contraception, including morally neutral and medically correct information about emergency contraception.
Conclusions:
This study highlights numerous gaps between adolescent information needs and information provided by parents, teachers and health professionals. The priority these trusted sources place on providing biological information overshadows learning about emotional and relational aspects of sexuality. This biological rationalization of adolescent sexual behaviour neglects the way gender inequality, peer-pressure, coercion, media eroticization and religion influence adolescent sexual decision-making. The heteronormativity of information excludes other sexual orientations and disregards the diverse spectrum of human sexual behaviours. Finally, the limited provision of practical information hinders development of skills necessary for ensuring safe, consensual and pleasurable sexual relations. Trusted adults are encouraged to engage adolescents in critical reflection on a broad range of sexuality topics, dispelling myths, and building knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions.
... Social desirability and students' grades were included to distinguish their influences from program effects. We also included 6th grade reports of sexual activity because 6th graders may not have understood and defined sexual behavior accurately, 36 and therefore, may have incorrectly reported having had sex. As is standard practice when comparing groups, we centered covariates on their grand mean, rather than on group-specific means and held covariate effects to be invariant across groups so that adjusted outcomes are directly comparable across groups. ...
Background: Communication between parents and teens about sexuality can reduce early sexual behavior, although its influence varies by gender. Get Real, a 3-year, comprehensive middle school sex education program, includes family activities with each lesson.
Purpose: To describe the role of a family activity component of a sex education program in delaying first sex over the course of middle school.
Significance: These findings have implications for sexual health prevention and intervention programs.
Methodology: Twelve middle schools received three years of a comprehensive middle school sex education program. Baseline data was collected at the start of 6th grade in 2008-09. Follow-up data was collected at the end of 8th grade. Students' family activity participation score was calculated out of 24 possible assignments, and assessed as a dosage indicator. Logistic regression analysis controlled for the clustered study design by classroom, demographic variables, social desirability, student-reported grades, and closeness with parents.
Results: At baseline the sample (N=854) was 54% female. Mean age was 11.83 years (SD=.60), and racial/ethnic background was 32% White, 30% Black, 29% Latino, 4% Asian, and 5% Biracial. After exposure to the 6th-8th grade curriculum, which included family activities with each lesson, boys who completed more family activities reported lower sexual initiation rates (OR=.96, p=.001), although there was no significant effect of family activity completion for girls.
Conclusions: Participation in family activities as part of a school-based sex education program was a key input for delayed sexual initiation for middle school boys.
... Social desirability and students' grades were included to distinguish their influences from program effects. We also included 6th grade reports of sexual activity because 6th graders may not have understood and defined sexual behavior accurately, 36 and therefore, may have incorrectly reported having had sex. As is standard practice when comparing groups, we centered covariates on their grand mean, rather than on group-specific means and held covariate effects to be invariant across groups so that adjusted outcomes are directly comparable across groups. ...
BACKGROUND
School-based comprehensive sex education programs can reduce early adolescents' risky sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 3-year comprehensive sex education program in delaying vaginal sex for middle school students and whether the family component of the intervention contributes to its effectiveness.METHODS
This longitudinal evaluation followed a cohort of 6th graders (N = 2453) through the end of 8th grade. The design used random assignment of 24 schools into treatment and comparison conditions. The analysis included multiple-group logistic regression to assess differences in delay of sex between intervention and comparison groups.RESULTSIn schools where the program was taught, 16% fewer boys and 15% fewer girls had had sex by the end of 8th grade compared to boys and girls at comparison schools. Completing family activities during the first year of the program predicted delayed sexual debut for boys.CONCLUSIONS
Theory-based, developmentally appropriate, comprehensive sex education programs that include parent involvement can be effective in delaying vaginal sex for middle school students. Parent involvement is particularly important for boys, as family activities may encourage parents to talk with their sons earlier and more frequently.
... For example, although sexual health education programs frequently include messages about intercourse (e.g., abstinence, virginity, waiting for the right partner, etc.), oral sex is rarely included in sexual health curriculums (Ninomiya, 2010). This may be a result of the emphasis that both school-and home-based sexual health education places on biological topics, such as puberty, contraception, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and the neglect of topics such as sexual pleasure (Causarano et al., 2010;Charmaraman, Lee, & Erkut, 2011;Meaney, Rye, Wood, & Solovieva, 2009;Ninomiya, 2010;Weaver, Byers, Sears, Cohen, & PERCEPTIONS OF INTIMACY 7 Randall, 2002). Because students receive messages about intercourse from a variety of sources, but are unlikely to receive any information about oral sex, they may conclude that oral sex is a less "serious" or less intimate behavior. ...
Oral sex is a common and normative part of young people's sexual behavior, yet there is concern that young people perceive oral sex as a casual, non-intimate behavior. The current study used a qualitative methodology to improve our understanding of the factors that contributed to university students' perceptions of the intimacy of sexual behaviors. Participants included 50 women and 35 men (17-24 years old) who responded to an open-ended intimacy questionnaire which asked them to describe the reasons for their perception of the relative intimacy of oral sex and intercourse. Responses were analyzed using conventional content analysis procedures. The majority (91 %) of participants perceived intercourse as more intimate than oral sex. Five key themes emerged from participant responses. Participants perceived intercourse as more intimate than oral sex because: (1) it is a symbol of love and commitment; (2) it is mutual; (3) it involves greater risks and benefits; and (4) oral sex is not discussed. A small subset perceived oral sex as more intimate than intercourse because (5) it required focusing on a partner. Overall, the findings highlight the role of formal and informal education in shaping young people's perceptions of the intimacy of sexual behavior.
... In some societies, peers, parents and schools are sources of information on sexuality for young people (BMRB International 2003;James et al. 2006;Jones and Biddlecom 2011;Mellanby et al. 1995;Stephenson et al. 2003). To our knowledge, there are no studies on sex education among indigenous youth in Asia, although some studies have been reported on indigenous people from Australasia, Africa and America (Charmaraman, Lee, and Erkut 2012;Fuglesang 1997;Mbugua 2007;Mellor et al. 2004). ...
The importance of sex education has been well documented in the literature, but there exists a lack of research involving indigenous youth in India. This paper describes perceptions, knowledge and attitudes towards sex education, sexuality, pre-marital sex, rape and homosexuality among indigenous students from the matrilineal Khasi tribe attending a university in Meghalaya in northeast India. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected during and after reproductive health, sexuality and life skills courses. Despite the impression of sexual permissiveness of indigenous peoples that exists in India, students reported a societal silence on issues related to sexuality. Lack of appropriate words in the indigenous language potentially contributes to this silence. Although co-habitation is common and culturally acceptable, students disapproved of pre-marital sex. The influence of Christianisation was also perceived in the frequent reference to sin and guilt associated with masturbation, homosexuality, pre-marital sex and abortion. Students reported that the sex education received in school was 'childish' and inadequate for their adult needs. Many had unrealistic images of what constituted 'normal' sex and also blamed women for rape. The majority of indigenous students expressed the need for non-judgmental fora for discussions on sexual health and for sexuality education.
Suicide continues to be a considerable health risk among adolescents and is the second leading cause of death among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 24. Middle school-aged adolescents may be at a heightened risk for suicide, as middle school can be rife with intrapersonal and interpersonal stressors. One such stressor may be sexual activity and navigating sexual relationships. Past research has shown that parents can play an important role in helping adolescents cope with stressors at this age, but there is no identified research assessing whether parental conversations about sex are associated with suicidality among adolescents. The current study addressed this gap via secondary data analysis using logistic regression with a sample of 3,568 middle school students (mean age = 12.74; SD = 1.08). Results suggest that parental conversations about sex are a significant protective factor against suicidality, but only among adolescents who report having engaged in sexual activity.
Accurate biological information about menstruation is crucial for menstrual health literacy. A diverse group of students (N = 125) at a large southwestern US university estimated—by pouring liquid into containers—the amount of menstrual blood produced during an average menstrual period. Only 14% could give a relatively accurate estimate, whereas 55% overestimated by at least 65 ml. Further, 7% gave extreme overestimations of one liter or more. Gender and race did not impact accurate knowledge, but queer/pansexual participants and women’s and gender studies or social justice majors were significantly more accurate. Implications for health education and recognizing heavy bleeding are explored.
Communicating basic health information to children is often a difficult task. For young children this is particularly challenging since they know very little about their bodies and they struggle to comprehend abstract or hypothetical reasoning. As children get older, they know more about their bodies and health but communicating about complex medical issues and health remains difficult. As oncofertility is a new field that lies at the intersection of oncology and fertility, communicating oncofertility information to children requires clear, developmentally appropriate explanations of both health and medicine related to oncology but also discussion of sexuality, fertility, and reproduction. In this chapter we provide a developmental perspective about what children already know about their bodies and reproductive systems, background on how media is used to communicate health messages to children, and recommendations for how oncofertility experts could use media to educate young audiences.
In this paper, we examine the ways that early adolescents talked, interacted, and made references to events in their individual and collective lives during photography-based focus groups about sexuality and relationships. Twenty-three participants (10 boys and 13 girls) were recruited from three urban schools participating in a comprehensive sex education impact evaluation in the Northeast. We analyzed conversational narratives that were elicited in a group process while sharing photos of important people, contexts, and situations, showcasing participants' exploration of sexuality and relationships. Our analysis revealed four main themes: (a) direct and indirect family communication about sexuality, (b) accidental and intentional Internet usage, (c) shared and contested peer knowledge, and (d) school as a direct and indirect learning context. Implications and future directions for practice, research, and policy are explored.
ABSTRACT—High rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) are important problems in the United States. Curriculum-based sex and STD/HIV education programs have been proffered as a partial solution. This article reviews evaluations of the impact of such programs that met specified criteria and finds that about two thirds of programs had a significant impact on behavior. The proportion having a negative impact was less than expected by chance. Those having a positive impact had such effects as delaying the initiation of sex, reducing the frequency of sex or the number of sexual partners, and increasing the use of condoms or other contraceptive methods. Positive findings were robust across different groups of youth and replication of programs in different locations. Programs with 17 specific characteristics were much more likely to be effective than programs without these characteristics. These programs alone cannot dramatically reduce teen pregnancy and STD, but they can contribute to the reduction of those problems.
The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between the timing of sex education and adolescents' sexual behaviours. The specific research questions were (1) 'Is timing of sex education related to frequency of sexual behaviour?' (2) 'Is timing of sex education related to age
of onset of experimentation with sexual intercourse?' The subjects in the study were 158 American adolescents (sixty-three boys and ninety-five girls) in the ninth through twelfth grades. The questionnaires included a demographics section, questions about sex education experience, sexual behaviours,
and age of first sexual intercourse. The results showed two main findings: (1) earlier learning about some individual topics was correlated with more frequent occurrence of certain sexual behaviours, which are presented in detail; (2) however, earlier learning about a variety of sexual topics
was not correlated with earlier onset of sexual intercourse, indicating that earlier school sex education can be beneficial. This suggests that schools should not only concentrate on the timing of sexual education but also on what is taught in such classes. The implications for the interpretation
of the research and consideration of future research are discussed.
Policy-makers rarely consult adolescents during development of health policies. However, perspectives of adolescents on health can inform public health policies and programs. As part of the development of an Indiana state plan for adolescent health, we used qualitative methods to describe adolescents' "emic" views of health, and discuss implications for a state health policy for youth.
We conducted eight adolescent focus groups in geographically and culturally diverse regions of Indiana. Each group was audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative methods.
Participants described health as a shared responsibility between adolescents and adults in their lives. They identified a key role for supportive adults in initiating and maintaining health behaviors. Physical, financial, and informational environments could support or hinder healthy behaviors and outcomes. Although adolescents' descriptions of physical health and risk behaviors were similar to adult formulations, they described mental health as "stress and fatigue," an interaction between the adolescent and their environment, rather than depression and anxiety which are considered to be individual pathologies. Respect for decision-making capacity, seeking adolescent input, and providing harm reduction messages were identified as particularly important.
Adolescent's perception of health can inform policies and programs, and should be sought before the development of health policies.
Libro de metodología cualitativo para investigación en las ciencias sociales. La utilización de la computadora, el uso de datos y la recolección de los mismos. Se describen detalladamente numerosos métodos de datos y análisis.
Effective sex education for early adolescents should make use of age-appropriate cultural models about sexual abstinence. However, little is known about how early adolescents view this topic. We describe developmental differences in cognitions about sexual abstinence among high-risk early adolescents.
After institutional review board approval and informed consent, we interviewed 22 11-14-year-olds, using a qualitative, two-stage interview. Participants were first asked a series of open-ended questions about sexual abstinence, and then asked to explain their answers. Interviews were transcribed, organized by age, and read in their entirety. Codes were developed from the literature, field notes, and transcripts. Key concepts were identified and models were developed with a focus on developmental change.
We observed three distinct views of sexual abstinence, "That's Nasty," "Curious," and Normative. All viewed abstinence as a starting point and sex as a transition to adulthood. "That's Nasty" participants identified sex as distasteful, displayed limited understanding of sex, and viewed abstinence as appropriate for kids like themselves. Curious participants expressed a desire for information about sex, and a sense of missing something important. Normative participants viewed the transition from abstinence to sexual experience as part of a normal, albeit challenging, transition to adulthood.
Participants demonstrated differences in cognitions about sexual abstinence, related to age and development. The transition from viewing sex as distasteful to curiosity appears to be a time of both vulnerability and openness, and may provide an opportunity for intervention.
Recent data show US adolescents are engaging in sexual activity at earlier ages; however, little is known about young teens' sexual attitudes and behaviors. Examining teens' questions in sex education classes may provide insight into these attitudes and behaviors.
Quasi cohort study
Parochial middle school sex education classes
5(th) through 8(th) graders
Students' anonymous written questions submitted at the outset of sex education classes between 2003 and 2005.
Questions were classified into topic categories. Three additional variables were then coded for each question. Ethics/guidance questions included requests for advice or value judgments. Prohibited questions included the topics homosexuality, abortion, masturbation, and contraception. "Red flag" questions were those that suggested consideration of or engagement in sexual behavior.
Among 473 questions submitted by 410 students, the most popular topics for 5(th)/6(th) graders were pregnancy and puberty, and for 7(th)/8(th) graders puberty and menstruation. 41 questions (8.6%) were prohibited. 29 questions (6.2%) asked about ethics/guidance. 18 questions (3.81%) were coded as red flag questions. A chi-square analysis showed that 5(th)/6(th) graders asked more questions in the ethics/guidance (8.3% versus 3.64%) and red flag question categories (5.53% versus 1.82%) (P < 0.05) than 7(th)/8(th) graders.
Although provocative questions represent a minority of these middle students' queries, these requests suggest the urgency of providing appropriate guidance to young teens, given the risks of early sexual activity. The role of school education programs, physicians and parents in addressing questions of this sort should be considered.
Adolescents are faced with many developmental tasks related to sexuality, such as forming romantic relationships and developing their sexual identities. Many adolescents will engage in a variety of sexual behaviors, including perhaps oral and anal sex, during this time period. Almost half will engage in vaginal sexual intercourse by the end of high school. A number of biological, psychosocial, and sociocultural factors can influence adolescents' romantic relationships and sexual behaviors. Some of these factors (eg, exposure to violence in the home, early pubertal development) may increase an adolescent's risk of being in an unhealthy relationship or engaging in sex at an early age. Parents, healthcare providers, and communities can support adolescents through these developmental tasks by forming close, connected relationships with teens and devising age-appropriate messages about the development of healthy sexuality.
Is earlier sex education harmful?.
- Somers C.L.
- Eaves M.W.