National Sexuality Education Research Articles

Comprehensive horizons: examining Japan’s national and regional sexuality education curricula

ABSTRACT Comprehensive Sexuality Education has been acknowledged globally for its role in advancing young people’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Yet, notable variation exists in definitions and interpretations of what comprehensive means, exposing tensions between international and local values and agendas. This research focused on the situation in Japan, which is largely perceived as ‘lagging behind’ international standards in terms of its sexuality education programming. We aimed to explore the degree of comprehensiveness and variation within Japan’s national and regional sexuality education curricula, using UNESCO’s International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education as a benchmark. Quantitative and qualitative curriculum analysis was conducted using an Excel tool. Findings revealed greater comprehensiveness and regional diversity than previously reported, although significant gaps persist regarding more explicit sexual subject matter and critical gender perspectives. These results illustrated promising progress towards comprehensiveness, even in the conservative educational environment of Japan. Nonetheless, in aspects such as rights, Japanese educational discourse differs substantially from that of the wider international community, contributing to the perception that the country’s sexuality education programme lacks comprehensiveness. This calls for greater cultural responsivity within the Comprehensive Sexuality Education agenda, albeit without compromising its core values and safeguarding of young people’s sexual health and rights.

Increased Parent Support for Comprehensive Sexuality Education Over 15 Years

PurposeComprehensive sexuality education (CSE) has been shown to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors and promote healthy sexual development, and studies have shown high support for this approach. However, the past decade has seen many changes in the political landscape and social controversies. The present study reports on an updated survey and analysis of changes in support from 2006 to 2021. MethodsSurvey data were collected by telephone in 2006 (N = 1,605) and online and in-person in 2021 (N = 719) from separate samples of Minnesota parents of school-age children. Parents responded to items regarding preferences for CSE, support for teaching numerous specific sexuality education topics, and the grade level at which topics should be introduced. Chi-square tests and logistic regression (with weighted 2021 data) were used to detect differences in support between survey years and across demographic and personal characteristics. ResultsAt both time points, approximately 90% of parents thought that CSE should be taught in schools, with significant increases in support within several demographic categories. Support for including all specific topics was high, including for topics typically considered highly controversial (e.g., gender identity, 68.7%; abortion, 77.7% in 2021). Parents endorsed introducing most topics in elementary or middle school years. DiscussionFindings suggest that policy makers and educators in Minnesota can be confident of strong parental support for CSE covering a wide range of content to meet students’ needs. Advocacy and action to advance the use of national sexuality education standards are in keeping with the views of the overwhelming majority of parents of school-age children.

Improving practice: Giving voice to the experiences of sexual health education teachers

Objective: To explore teachers’ beliefs, experiences and barriers influencing teaching related to sexual health education. Methods, Design and Setting: Descriptive, cross-sectional study design. Rhode Island certified health teachers ( n = 190) completed an online sexual health education survey. Teacher perceptions about the need and benefits of teaching this subject, coverage of essential topics, their experiences and the barriers they faced were gathered. Qualitative questions were analysed using open, axial and selective coding. Constant comparative approach was used to identify themes. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative items. Results: Findings indicated that 98% of teachers felt that sexual health education should be taught. Less than 50% agreed that coverage for topics identified in the national sexuality education standards for grades K-12 should begin at each grade level. Two common themes – prevention and access to accurate information – emerged as reasons for teaching the subject. Themes generated from teacher experiences revealed the use of a risk reduction approach to sexual health education. Healthy sexual development, gender identity, inclusive education and all components of a comprehensive approach were not identified. Perceived barriers to teaching included teacher comfort, time, parents’ likely responses and lack of training. Conclusion: Findings signal the need for ongoing professional development to broaden teachers’ understanding of comprehensive sex education and address the beliefs and barriers that hinder inclusive and comprehensive teaching approaches. Good quality training in which teachers reflect on their beliefs and develop proficiency in the use of effective pedagogies can strengthen educator capacity and self-efficacy.

Debating Sex and Sovereignty: Uganda\u2019s New National Sexuality Education Policy

IntroductionThis article examines recent moral panics over sex education in Uganda from historical perspectives. Public outcry over comprehensive sexuality education erupted in 2016 over claims that children were being taught “homosexuality” by international NGOs. Subsequent debates over sex education revolved around defending what public figures claimed were national, religious, and cultural values from foreign infiltration.MethodsThis paper is grounded in a survey of Uganda’s two English-print national newspapers (2016–2018), archival research of newspapers held at Uganda’s Vision Group media company (1985–2005), analyses of public rhetoric as reported in internationally and nationally circulating media, textual analysis of Uganda’s National Sexuality Education Framework (2018), formal interviews with Ugandan NGO officers (3), and semi-structured interviews with Ugandan educators (3).ResultsUganda’s current panic over sex education reignited longstanding anxieties over foreign interventions into the sexual health and rights of Ugandans. We argue that in the wake of a 35-year battle with HIV/AIDS and more recent controversies over LGBT rights, both of which brought international donor resources and governance, the issue of where and how to teach young people about sex became a new battleground over the state’s authority to govern the health and economic prosperity of its citizens.ConclusionsEthno- and religio-nationalist rhetoric used to oppose the state’s new sexuality education policy was also used to justify sex education as a tool for economic development.Policy ImplicationsAnalyzing rhetoric mobilized by both supporters and detractors of sex education reveals the contested political terrain policy advocates must navigate in Uganda and other postcolonial contexts.

Classroom implementation of national sexuality education curricula in four low- and middle-income countries

ABSTRACT School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can help adolescents acquire crucial knowledge and skills to achieve their full potential, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with higher rates of negative sexual and reproductive outcomes. While many low- and middle-income countries have developed CSE curricula, little is known about how these are implemented in the classroom. This multi-country mixed-methods study analysed challenges to the implementation of national CSE curricula in schools in Ghana, Kenya, Peru and Guatemala, based on surveys of secondary school principals, teachers and students aged 15–17 years, and in-depth interviews with central and local government, NGOs and youth organisations. In all four countries, inadequate teacher training remained a major hurdle to effective implementation, manifesting in teacher discomfort and inaccurate messaging. This was compounded by a lack of comprehensive teaching resources. CSE classes were focused mainly on biology at the expense of contraception, gender and rights, despite students’ desire for greater coverage of these topics. Teaching methods lacked interactive activities necessary to develop skills and values. Findings offer useful lessons to improve school-level implementation in these and other countries facing similar challenges. Increasing teacher training and distributing comprehensive CSE materials responsive to adolescents’ needs remain priorities in all countries.

Propriety, empowerment and compromise: challenges in addressing gender among sex educators in China

ABSTRACT Although the past two decades have witnessed the substantial development of sex education in mainland China, Chinese society at large is both conservative and silent in addressing sex-related issues, especially with children and adolescents. Against this background, how do Chinese sex educators understand gender, sexuality and sexuality education, and how do they put their understandings into practice? In this article, we explore these questions through semi-structured interviews with seven national sexuality education leaders, and focus group discussions with eight practitioners. We employed critical reconstructive analysis to examine these educators’ normative claims and value orientations regarding gender, sexuality and the teaching of sexuality education. We generatively reconstructed three types of sex educators – the conventionals, the forerunners and the compromisers, and explain the cultural resources they implicitly draw on to justify their stance. The article then discusses the three types of sex educators’ action orientations in relation to structural constraints and implicit understandings of agency.

How can we make LGBTQ+-inclusive sex education programmes truly inclusive? A case study of Chicago Public Schools’ policy and curriculum

ABSTRACTIn the USA, there has been a nationwide call for comprehensive sexual health education programs to be LGBTQ+-inclusive. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) K-12 curriculum was intentionally designed to align with the National Sexuality Education Standards and to be inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning as well as other (LGBTQ+) identities (Chicago Public Schools, 2013). This case study of CPS’s policy and curriculum implementation, with a focus on 9th grade, examines the extent to which this curriculum is truly experienced as inclusive by students and teachers. Twenty-nine ninth grade sex education class-periods were observed in 4 schools, 12 teachers were interviewed and 5 student focus groups were conducted to assess perceptions of the nature of inclusivity of the curriculum and ongoing needs to ensure inclusivity going forward. Students wanted a more LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculum defined by 1) including identity topics integrated throughout the curriculum; 2) more holistic discussion of sexuality; 3) more information about identity development, and 4) the creation of a safe space through an accepting, non-judgmental tone from teachers. Implications for the sexual health education field as well as for the larger public health field are discussed.

Development of the Test of Adolescent Sexual Knowledge Based on the National Sexuality Education Standards and Results of Pilot Testing

To describe development and pilot testing of the Test of Adolescent Sexual Knowledge (TASK) developed by the researcher using content recommendations of the National Sexuality Education Standards. TASK development was guided by a systematic process described by Kirby and Mathtec. Pilot testing involved the use of talk-aloud interviews with 10 youth. After revisions the TASK was converted to an electronic version and retested in 132 participants across the United States. Cognitive interview findings supported preliminary evidence of validity and guided reduction of items. Administration of the revised task to 132 youth ages 12–18 found that the standardized Cronbach’s was .93 for the entire test and took an average of 40 min to complete. Highest levels of knowledge were in the domains of Healthy Relationships and Personal Safety. Lowest levels of knowledge were found in the areas of Puberty and Adolescence and STIs and HIV. The TASK has been reduced to 69 total items. Future research will seek to psychometrically evaluate the reduced-item TASK in larger and diverse populations.

Past to Future: Creating a Lifelong Career in Sexuality Education—a Panel from the 2017 National Sexuality Education Conference

How do professionals in the field of sexuality education build a lasting career? Ever-changing policies from one administration to the next can add or eliminate funding for programs, shift the focus between science and ideology, and swing public support for or against effective curricula. At the 2017 National Sex Ed Conference, four experienced educators offered insights for creating meaningful work and sustaining it. Rev. Dr. Debra Haffner, Michael McGee, PhD, Mary Jo Podgurski, EdD, and Pam Wilson, MSW discussed their histories in the field, and offered advice to participants on how to keep engaged in the work as times change.

Want to improve sexual health education for girls? Include body image

Research suggests body image is related to sexual behaviors, which can impact sexual health across the lifespan. This paper aims to explain the necessity for including body image content in sexuality education to improve outcomes among girls. Our recommendations, supported by theory and empirical research include (a) an assessment of existing curricula; (b) designing new, theoretically-informed curricula; (c) using innovative technology in sex education; (d) rigorous evaluation of existing and new curricula; and (e) revising the National Sexuality Education Standards. These recommendations are discussed after providing the necessary background and rationale.

Identifying the Inclusion of National Sexuality Education Standards Utilizing a Systematic Analysis of Teen Dating Violence Prevention Curriculum.

Violent behaviors have devastating impacts on youth and adolescents. National standards offer a framework for age and developmentally appropriate health education expectations. This study provides findings from a systematic review and analysis of teen dating violence (TDV) prevention curricula using National Sexuality Education Standards (NSES) and National Health Education Standards (NHES). Evidence-based and/or practice informed interventions for TDV prevention were compiled and analyzed. We used a standardized review instrument to analyze each curriculum (N = 11); each curriculum was reviewed independently and results met inter-rater agreement requirements. Data were analyzed to determine NSES and NHES inclusion. This study provides findings from the TDV prevention curriculum analysis using the NSES. Five NSES topic areas were addressed in the TDV prevention curriculum and included personal safety, healthy relationships, identity, sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficieny virus, and pregnancy and reproduction. Personal safety was the most included topic and ranged from 37% to 77%. Healthy relationships were the second most included NSES and ranged from 11% to 53%. Inclusions of NHES skills, as they are embedded within the NSES, are identified. Curricula decision-makers gain insight by conducting reviews before recommendations are made or the adoption process is complete. The NSES and NHES support expectations for TDV prevention and can guide curricula adoption for a school or district. School professionals should work together to ensure TDV prevention curricula complements sexuality education units. While TDV curricula may cover critical topics, a singular focus on one content area cannot replace comprehensive sexuality education.

Challenges to implementing national comprehensive sexuality education curricula in low- and middle-income countries: Case studies of Ghana, Kenya, Peru and Guatemala.

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can help adolescents achieve their full potential and realize their sexual and reproductive health and rights. This is particularly pressing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where high rates of unintended pregnancy and STIs among adolescents can limit countries’ ability to capitalize on the demographic dividend. While many LMICs have developed CSE curricula, their full implementation is often hindered by challenges around program planning and roll-out at the national and local level. A better understanding of these barriers, and similarities and differences across countries, can help devise strategies to improve implementation; yet few studies have examined these barriers. This paper analyzes the challenges to the implementation of national CSE curricula in four LMICs: Ghana, Kenya, Peru and Guatemala. It presents qualitative findings from in-depth interviews with central and local government officials, civil society representatives, and community level stakeholders ranging from religious leaders to youth representatives. Qualitative findings are complemented by quantitative results from surveys of principals, teachers who teach CSE topics, and students aged 15–17 in a representative sample of 60–80 secondary schools distributed across three regions in each country, for a total of around 3000 students per country. Challenges encountered were strikingly similar across countries. Program planning-related challenges included insufficient and piecemeal funding for CSE; lack of coordination of the various efforts by central and local government, NGOs and development partners; and inadequate systems for monitoring and evaluating teachers and students on CSE. Curriculum implementation-related challenges included inadequate weight given to CSE when integrated into other subjects, insufficient adaptation of the curriculum to local contexts, and limited stakeholder participation in curriculum development. While challenges were similar across countries, the strategies used to overcome them were different, and offer useful lessons to improve implementation for these and other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges.

Prioritising sexuality education in Mississippi and Nigeria: The importance of local actors, policy windows and creative strategy

ABSTRACTMississippi and Nigeria are two socially conservative places unlikely to prioritise sexuality education. Nonetheless, Mississippi passed a bill in 2011 mandating all school districts to offer sexuality education, and Nigeria approved a national sexuality education curriculum in 2001. To identify the factors that drove the process of prioritisation of sexuality education in each context, we conducted more than 70 semi-structured interviews with nongovernmental organisations/nonprofits, donor organisations and federal and state ministries involved in the prioritisation and implementation of sexuality education in Mississippi and Nigeria. Prioritisation of sexuality education occurred for similar reasons in both Mississippi and Nigeria: (1) local individuals and organisations committed to sexuality education and supported by external actors; (2) the opening of a policy window that made sexuality education a solution to a pressing social problem (teen pregnancy in Mississippi and HIV/AIDS in Nigeria) and (3) strategic action on the part of proponents. We conclude that promoting sexuality education in challenging contexts requires fostering committed local individuals and organisations, identifying external resources to support implementation costs and building on existing relationships of trust between actors, even if those relationships are unrelated to sexuality education.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: Call for a Paradigm Shift.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa: Call for a Paradigm Shift.

Assessing Teacher Confidence and Proficiency With Sexuality Education Standards

The timely emergence of the National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education in the United States will transform preparation of future educators and provide guidance for professional development training of current sexuality educators. This article focuses on identifying factors that affect sexuality education by examining perceptions and experiences held by certified Rhode Island public school health educators. Study participants were asked to respond to questions addressing their confidence in teaching sexuality education topics, ability to plan and implement sexuality lessons with the National Health Education Standards, and ability/proficiency in the National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education. The topic of identity (36%), which addresses people’s understanding of who they are, was the only topic identified by the National Sexuality Education Standards that teachers were uncomfortable teaching. The majority of the educators felt very confident in their abilities to teach lessons integrated with four of the six National Health Education Standards. Less than half of the educators felt very confident with integrating communication and advocacy skills. The educators surveyed also believed to be very confident in meeting all seven National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education. This article concludes that gauging current teacher’s confidence and proficiency with these standards can isolate factors that either impede or enhance quality sexuality education for youth. Expanding the understanding of these factors can influence professional development and provide meaning as to what confident and proficient sexuality educators look like in practice.

S02.2 Religious and faith-based beliefs: a help or a hindrance in sexual health education?

The Reverend Debra Haffner, a former CEO of SIECUS, and the Director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing objects to the The National Sexuality Education Standards for US Public Schools (2012) published by The Guttmacher Institute in the United States. Haffner questions these standards because they fail to account for values and religious influences on sexuality education and religion. The absence of explicit references to religion and values in such standards reflect longstanding debates about the place of religion within secular states, and about the privatisation of religion and belief. These debates also impact perceptions about the role of religion in sexuality education and shape debates about the place of reason and science in sexuality education. Haffner’s theological commitment to comprehensive sexuality education is accompanied by an expressed desire for a values-based framework for sexuality education. Unlike Haffner, I have no theological commitments in relation to sexuality education provision. However, I have come to question progressive sexuality education standards that do not explicitly engage with questions of faith, belief and their relationship to values. What are the grounds for this separation? Are there ways in which religion and values can be usefully incorporated in progressive sexuality education? Should such topics be left behind in the production of a progressive sexuality education?

Friend Flips: A Story Activity about Relationships

Adolescents are influenced by the type, length and quality of the connections shared with different people throughout their lifespan. Relationships with peers, friends, and adults help to shape knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to health. Recognizing healthy or unhealthy characteristics allow youth to strengthen relationships and interactions with others. In this interactive teaching strategy, students identify and rank characteristics of friend and romantic relationships. Students are challenged to generate authentic stories about relationships incorporating these traits. National Health Education Standards and National Sexuality Education Standards provide the base of the teaching strategy.

Evidence-Based Sexuality Education Programs in Schools: Do They Align with the National Sexuality Education Standards?

While many states mandate some type of sexuality education in schools, state legislation varies widely across the United States. Nevertheless, though much has been written about the behavioral outcomes of sexuality education programs shown to be effective at reducing one or more risky sexual behaviors in teenagers, less is known about the exact content taught by these programs, and whether it aligns with national recommendations for sexuality education programming in school. This article reviews the content of evidence-based sexuality education programs in schools (n = 10) from the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) to assess the extent to which programs are following a comprehensive model of sexual health endorsed by the National Sexuality Education Standards. Results indicate that the majority of programs provide education on sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy, abstinence, and contraceptive use. Far fewer address components related to healthy dating relationships, including interpersonal violence and an understanding of gender roles. No programs address nonheterosexual orientations. Analysis of the programs and implications of the findings are discussed.

Phenomenological Research and Adolescent Female Sexuality: Discoveries and Applications

This paper presents research in female first sexual intercourse in Australia. Previous research in adolescent sexual behavior, particularly issues around first sexual intercourse behavior , has mainly utilized quantitative methodology. Our research adopted a qualitative approach to provide unique insight in to adolescent sexual behavior, attitudes, and development. We used phenomenology to investigate adolescent female sexual experiences. The findings ca n inform national and international sexuality education.

Parental Attitudes Regarding School-Based Sexuality Education in Utah

Sexuality education programs can be broadly categorized as either risk-avoidance or risk-reduction approaches. Health educators in Utah public schools must teach a state mandated risk-avoidance curriculum which prohibits the advocacy or encouragement of contraception. Multiple national surveys indicate that parents prefer a risk-reduction approach to sexuality education that promotes abstinence and the use of condoms or contraception for prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection. To date, no survey of Utah parents has been conducted.This study utilized an Internet survey to gather data from 344 Utah parents to analyze their preferences regarding school-based sexuality education, sexuality topics, and support for objectives from the National Sexuality Education Standards. The vast majority of Utah parents surveyed support a risk-reduction approach to sexuality education, a wide variety of sexuality topics, and the majority of National Sexuality Education Standards. Statistically significant differences were identified by parents’ education, income, attendance at religious services, and political affiliation. Results support that Utah laws and education policies should be reexamined to provide for instruction that aligns with professional recommendations, best-practice recommendations based on peer-reviewed research, parental attitudes, and the needs of Utah teens.