Sexuality Education

Where does sex education take place?

  • for most 13 to 15 year olds, the primary source of sex information is friends, followed closely by the mass media
  • many children are given no sex education in the home

–parents are embarrassed about discussing sex

–many things about sexuality parents don’t know

  • the result is a lot of misinformation
  • great majority of parents (& adults in general) favor sexuality education in schools beginning no later than age 12

–sex education in school is not “instead of” education at home

–makes it easier for parents to talk with children about sexual issues, increases parent-child communication about sex

Goals of Sexuality Education (SIECUS)

  • information
  • attitudes, values, & insights
  • relationships & interpersonal skills
  • responsibility

Children’s Sexual Knowledge & Interests

  • our children know less about sexuality than children from other developed countries
  • among younger children, sexual experience and behavior (sex play & exploration) typically precede knowledge & understanding
  • children’s knowledge of and interest in sex are reflected in the questions they ask

–sexuality education curriculum for a particular age group must address the questions of that age group

  • high school students’ vision of ideal sexuality education program

–begin in elementary school, progress from simple to complex

–topics include reproduction, pregnancy, abortion, birth control options, disease prevention, sexual violence, relationships and gender roles, and values

–all of the topics should be presented by eighth grade

Abstinence-Only Programs

  • developed out of opposition to sexuality education in schools (AFLA 1981, PRWOA 1996)
  • promote sexual abstinence as the sole means of preventing pregnancy and exposure to STIs

–abstinence is the only approach that is moral and safe

–virginity pledge

–traditional gender role stereotyping

  • between 1998 and 2003, $899 million spent on these programs

–funded by congress, supported by president, reflects conservative social agenda

–majority of American adults oppose laws that provide federal funds only to abstinence-only programs

  • political pressure to focus on abstinence has resulted in less comprehensive education than most students, parents, and teachers want
  • examples include Sex Respect & Teen Aid

–evaluations of these programs consistently indicate that important topics are omitted and that they are not effective

HIV & AIDS Risk Education

  • in 1990s, focus shifted from pregnancy prevention to AIDS and other STI prevention
  • almost all parents believe such programs are appropriate in schools

–by 2007, required in 35 states & D.C.

  • short duration, sharply focused on disease prevention
  • HIV instruction may be presented alone or in combination with either abstinence-only or comprehensive sexuality education programs

–risk education programs alone are not good substitutes for comprehensive sexuality education programs

  • improve knowledge significantly

–American teenagers are very well informed about HIV transmission

Comprehensive, Theoretically Based Programs

  • newest programs are comprehensive and are explicitly based on social science theories of health promotion

–health belief model, social inoculation theory, social learning theory

  • examples include Postponing Sexual Involvement & Reducing the Risk
  • effective programs achieve the following outcomes

–delaying the initiation of intercourse

–reducing the frequency of intercourse

–reducing the number of sexual partners

–increasing the use of condoms and other contraceptives

  • characteristics of effective programs

–focus on reducing risk-taking behavior

–based on theories of social learning

–teach through experiential activities that personalize messages

–address media & social influences that encourage sexual risk-taking behavior

–reinforce clear & appropriate values

–enhance communication skills

–consistent with diverse cultural backgrounds

  • effective sexuality education is cost effective

–research from California & Texas indicates $2.65 in medical and social costs saved for every $1.00 spent

–$2.3 billion could have been saved if $899 million federal funds spent on abstinence-only programs from 1998 to 2003 were spent on effective sexuality education

Sexuality Education Curriculum

  • 4 age levels

–5-8, early elementary school

–9-12, upper elementary school

–12-15, middle school or jr. high

–15-18, high school

  • concepts taught at each age level, with age appropriate material

–human development

–relationships

–personal skills

–sexual behavior

–sexual health

  • topics (for human development concept) presented at each level

–reproductive anatomy and physiology

–reproduction

–puberty

–body image

–sexual identity and orientation

Qualifications of Sexuality Education Teacher

  • accurate knowledge about sexuality

–usually acquired through college course(s) like this one

  • comfortable discussing material & interacting with learners about sexual topics

–able to relate material to learners’ lives

  • able to assess what the learner knows and can understand what he/she wants to know when questions are asked (good listener)
  • most school districts do not provide sufficient in-service training

Condom Distribution Programs

  • associated with reduction in the incidence and frequency of sexual intercourse among high school students
  • supported by majority of Americans