Sex Is Like Jelly Beans: Educating Students on the Risks of Oral Sex

Abstract

This study provides a description of an innovative workshop that educated college students about the risks of unprotected sexual behavior, particularly oral sex, and methods of risk reduction using a metaphor of “sharing and eating jelly beans.” Intervention development was guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model. Ninety-five students attended this workshop, with 69 (73%) participating in a workshop assessment in the form of a one-group pretest-posttest design with no control group. The surveys obtained information about participants’ demographics, sexual experience, protective sexual behaviors, perception of risk, motivation to engage in protective behaviors, and response to the workshop. Most participants rated the workshop as “very useful,” and many reported the jelly bean metaphor specifically interesting and effective. Motivation to use condoms during oral sex significantly increased after the workshop, as did motivation to use condoms during vaginal and anal sex. Most participants were also motivated to get tested for sexually transmitted infections and obtain human papillomavirus vaccination. This educational workshop is easy to implement to promote engagement in protective behaviors and could be adapted to be part of an existing health program or delivered as a stand-alone workshop.