Let's Talk About Sex...Education: Exploring Youth Perspectives, Implicit Messages, and Unexamined Implications of Sex Education in Schools.

Abstract

School-based sexuality education is a critical source of sexual communication for youth in the United States. Although some research exists on the types of sexual communication and “sex education” that young people receive, there exist numerous gaps in the literature. Specifically, research examining school-based sex education tends to evaluate programs based on behavioral outcomes (such as onset of vaginal intercourse, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases.) Although this information is valuable, it is incomplete. Little is known about other possible effects of sex education, especially in terms of sexual negotiation and messages regarding gender and power. Additionally, young people’s own voices and experiences are rarely included. My dissertation addresses some of these gaps in a mixed methods approach, through three studies: 1) A quantitative study examining links between sex education content and sexual attitudes and experiences; 2) A quantitative study examining links between sexual socialization discourses received from sex education programs and sexual attitudes and experiences; and 3) A qualitative study of focus groups with first-year undergraduate college students inquiring about their experiences and perspectives regarding their secondary sex education. In Study 1, participants received more messages about biology and mainstream contraception than other topics, and messages about contraception and lifestyle choices were linked with more sexual agency. In Study 2, participants received more messages about sex being egalitarian, and sex as an expression of love, than other discourses. Sexual double standard messages were linked with more experiences of sexual coercion across groups. Findings from Study 3 revealed three central trends: participants seemed to receive either messages about biology and contraception or messages about abstinence and relationships, but not both; messages were gendered; and a victim-perpetrator dichotomy emerged. Sexual health is a complex issue. School-based sex education may have a variety of effects on sexual attitudes and experiences. It is important to pay more attention to the explicit and implicit messages communicated about power and gender by sex education programs. It is also critical that more research and intervention be conducted in these areas.