Abstract
A post-hoc study was conducted to ascertain the effect of comprehensive sex education on of 7th graders’ knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding sexual health and sexual identities in a small city school district in the Midwest USA. All five middle schools in the district participated, three of which used a comprehensive curriculum and two taught their existing curriculum. A total of 260 online surveys were completed by the 7th graders through Qualtrics. Chi-square tests were conducted, and the outcome showed a statistically significant difference in student perception and attitudes regarding sexual identity and orientation between the two curriculum groups. The comprehensive curriculum group scored higher than the existing curriculum group on items that indicate openness and respect regarding diversity in sexual identities and orientation. Given that LGBTQ+ students are at a greater risk to engage in self-harm and suicidal attempts, the outcome potentially suggests that a more open and accepting school atmosphere can be created by the implementation of a comprehensive sexual health curriculum. It implies that a purposive, systematic, and longitudinal effort to provide comprehensive sexual health education could also help reduce the challenges LGBTQ+ youth face outside of school.
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