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Sexuality and relationship education (SRE) for trans young people is fraught with ongoing institutional and informational erasure, even as trans young people display considerable agency in navigating their SRE needs. This paper reports on a survey of 112 Australian trans young people, who shared their experiences of SRE (in terms of delivery and content), and their views on three story completion tasks where they were asked to respond to prompts about three fictional stories focused on trans young people (and for some their cisgender partners) and intimacy. Participants reported that SRE was delivered in class and focused on puberty and anatomy, although many participants accessed SRE information informally. Participants overwhelmingly reported the erasure of trans-specific SRE content and suggested that SRE content should include a trans focus. Responses to the story completion task emphasised the agency of the fictional trans young people in asserting their boundaries, deserving respect, being knowledgeable about their bodies and ensuring their safety. Fictional cisgender young people in the story completion tasks were expected to be respectful, and to be guided by trans people (but also to educate themselves). The paper concludes with recommendations for harnessing trans young people's agency in the context of SRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships and sexual health education is an accepted part of the school curriculum to support adolescent development. In recent years, the nature of this education has expanded to include topics encompassing a social model of health (e.g. with a focus on gender roles). There has, however, been limited exploration of student views about the inclusion of these topics. This paper presents student feedback on South Australia's Relationships and Sexual Health Programme, a state-wide curriculum produced by the state's major sexual and reproductive health organisation. The findings are drawn from an annual survey conducted from 2006 to 2017, involving 29,533 secondary school students aged 12–16 years. Regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between the year the survey was conducted and student ratings of the programme ('good/excellent' vs 'poor/satisfactory') and, separately, the individual topics students' considered most important. There was a positive association between survey year and rating the programme as 'good/excellent' with regard to providing a 'safe and supportive classroom environment', and a small negative association between survey year and 'overall rating' as 'good/excellent'. Over time, there was an increase in the number of students selecting the topic 'consent' as the most important. These findings demonstrate student support for the inclusion of a range of social health topics in relationships and sexual health education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While educators, curriculum authors and policy makers alike are influenced by assumptions about parents' dis/approval of gender and sexuality diversity, both generally, as well as specifically in relation to this topic's appropriateness for K-12 classrooms, little empirical data is available to support these assumptions. What data does exist suggests that parents generally support the implementation of a comprehensive sexuality curriculum, inclusive of same-sex attraction, and view sexuality education as a school-parent partnership. Surveying a sample of Australian parents of children attending a government (public) school (N = 2093), whose responses were weighted to produce nationally representative estimates, this study sought to expand on previous findings by exploring the complexities of parents' attitudes in relation to gender and sexuality diversity and its place within relationships and sexual health education. This paper provides a descriptive overview of parents' ideas about the purpose of relationships and sexual health education and their views on the importance of including gender and sexuality diversity-inclusive content within related curriculum areas. Notably, over 80% of parents supported the inclusion of gender and sexuality diversity-inclusive relationships and sexual health education topics across primary and secondary government schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive sexual health education is critical for the prevention of STIs and unintended pregnancy among young people. Yet, increasing barriers to comprehensive sexual health education in classroom settings underscore the importance of youth-friendly technologies to address sexual health among young people. It's OK to Ask Someone (IOTAS) uses a customised technology to expand Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania's sexual health programming with a confidential sexual health textline designed to answer sexual health questions in a timely, user-friendly manner. This paper describes results from a process evaluation focused on assessing who uses IOTAS, how they use IOTAS and in what ways IOTAS is perceived to be helpful to texters. Results illustrate that a textline-approach is an acceptable and appropriate way to engage with young people. Findings demonstrate that young people are using the confidential textline to seek information about sexual health and report it as a helpful resource. Findings are relevant for sexual health educators and practitioners working with young people, including those interested in using a technology approach to expand health education opportunities. Additional research should continue to explore the potential of youth-friendly, technology-based approaches to support sexual health information seeking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Ghanaian young people's perceptions of the determinants of HIV- and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, and how these perceptions may influence the de-stigmatisation process. Drawing on findings from an in-depth, multi-method qualitative study involving 104 school and street young people aged between 14 and 19 years, the paper presents young people's accounts of HIV and AIDS. The paper provokes discussion on how language and images associated with existing educational programmes on HIV and AIDS place young people in a dilemma. It also argues that fear and secrecy associated with the disease not only consolidate stigmatisation and discrimination, but also create the desire for retribution. It concludes by challenging health educators to pay particular attention to the language and images used in future educational programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a key component of efforts to improve sexual and reproductive outcomes for young people. While many governments have established policies and curricula for CSE, there are no quantitative measures of the quality of their implementation in schools. We describe the construction of a school-level index to measure CSE implementation quality using data from Peru, Guatemala, Kenya and Ghana for validation. The composite index represents seven key components of a successful programme: range of topics, values imparted, teaching methods, teacher training, resources available, monitoring and evaluation, and the school environment. These components are combined into two sub-indices (curriculum content and implementation context), which together provide a summary index of implementation quality. We present scores for the seven components, the two sub-indices and the summary index for each country. Ghana scored highest on the summary index, while Guatemala scored lowest, but country rankings varied within the different components. The paper discusses the implications of the findings for improving school-based CSE in these countries. An assessment of the validity and reliability of the index indicates it can be used in other settings and could be a useful tool for educationalists, researchers and programme implementers to measure CSE implementation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood and primary educators' and carers' education and support in identifying and responding appropriately to children displaying problematic sexual behaviours has fallen behind the demands currently arising in care and education sites in Australia. This is a key finding of research examining professional educators' and carers' experiences of problematic sexual behaviours in their workplaces, their understanding of problematic sexual behaviours, and their source of training in this area. This paper reports on the professional development, workplace and community support for educators and affected children, which educators and carers wanted to have implemented to more adequately respond to their professional needs and the needs of affected children and their families. The research was conducted using an online survey in 2016 and involved 107 respondents from government, independent and Catholic primary schools, preschools and care organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual health promotion and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) are influenced by interrelated social and cultural factors, particularly in a rural setting. This paper reports on findings from interviews with young people when asked about experiences and perspectives accessing RSE and sexual health services in a small rural Australian town. Fifteen young people (16–24 years) participated in semi-structured focus groups and interviews. Data was analysed and coded with four key themes emerging: relevant and credible sexual health education; make it easy; GP accessibility; and discreet condom supply. The findings of this study have practical implications when addressing community level sexual health and RSE needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexuality education is a trusted source of information and guidance for adolescents and young people on sexual health, sexuality and relationships, and it can improve the sexual health of this population. Such education is most effective when informed by the views of young people themselves; however, there is limited research that investigates young people's experiences of school-based sexuality education. This paper presents findings related to sexuality education from the Fifth National Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, which surveyed 2,193 Australian Year 10, 11 and 12 students from diverse school systems. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the nature of sexuality education the students report having received. Chi-square and T-test analysis were used to determine associations between the relevance of sexuality education, the nature of sexuality education and demographic characteristics, as well as associations between students' knowledge of HIV, STIs and HPV and their receipt of sexuality education. Additionally, a thematic analysis of the open-ended qualitative responses was performed to provide additional context to the quantitative results. Findings from the study elucidate students' own perceptions of their school-based sexuality education and provide valuable insight for designing and implementing school-based sexuality education based on students' opinions and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programmes play an important role in reducing young people's sexual risk behaviour and promoting health and well-being. There is limited evidence regarding the attitudes and beliefs of parents towards the implementation of school-based CSE programmes in Islamic cultural settings, including Oman, which this mixed-method study set out to explore. A convenience sample of 250 parents, with equal numbers of mothers and fathers of children aged 12–14 years (grades 7–9) at two urban public pre-secondary schools in Saham, completed a paper-based self-administered questionnaire in Arabic. We found most parents (72.8%) supported school-based CSE programmes that conformed to Islamic requirements of pre-marital sexual abstinence, but there was some opposition. Almost all parents supported comprehensive age-appropriate CSE being taught to students aged 10–15 years, including topics perceived as controversial in Omani culture, except for birth control and safer sex. Most parents considered themselves, school teachers and school nurses to be important sources of CSE. The study findings which suggest strong parental support for CSE programmes can facilitate education policy, CSE curriculum decision-makers and school healthcare-providers in Oman, other Middle Eastern countries, and countries with Muslim immigrant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing sexual assault in college and university settings is an important public health priority. The college campus is a high-risk setting for experiencing sexual assault while at university. Many campuses utilise brief educational programmes to prevent sexual assault, but these programmes are rarely evaluated. In this paper, we provide a programme description and evaluation data from a sexual assault prevention programme administered to first-year students during their first semester at a large public university. Relationship Remix was a theoretically-informed upstream prevention programme collaboratively developed by campus stakeholders to focus on healthy relationship skills and sexual assault prevention. Students (N = 2,305; 55% female, 71% White) completed web-based surveys immediately before and after attending the 1.5-hour group-based programme. On 8 of 10 items assessing programme-related knowledge and attitudes, findings suggest that the programme positively impacted students' beliefs and attitudes related to consensual sex and preventing sexual misconduct. Importantly, the largest shift in beliefs occurred with regard to enhanced awareness of campus resources. Future research should examine behavioural outcomes and whether the programme may be effective in reducing sexual misconduct as part of a multi-pronged prevention strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO EURO) and the German Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) published the Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe in 2010. The standards were developed to provide an overview of those sexuality education issues that should be addressed in school at various specific age levels. They were intended to guarantee that sexuality education teaching is age-appropriate and of uniformly good quality throughout Europe. In the context of the present survey, Austrian teachers and parents or guardians were asked about the importance of the topics covered by the WHO standards and about any aspects they would like to see for such sexuality education to be successful. The paper concludes that parents and teachers agree on the sexuality education topics they find important for coverage in Austrian primary schools, although teachers find sexuality education in general to be of greater importance than do parents. Teacher’ wishes for sexuality education in practice correlate highly with parents’ ideas of quality. Overall, qualifications and support for work in this field are viewed as essential, with survey respondents perceiving the need for high-quality initial training and continuing education and appropriate frameworks for implementation in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the preferred sexuality education sources of older Australian adults in later life. Drawing on findings from qualitative interviews with 30 men and 23 women aged 60 years and older, we consider the sources that participants currently use, or would like to use, in seeking information about sex. Where relevant, we examine participants’ experiences of learning about sex in later life using different sources, and the impact these had on their sexual expression, pleasure and well-being. Preferred sources of information include the Internet, the media, health care providers, books and workshops or discussion groups. A substantial number of participants did not actively seek information on sex. For those who had, these educational endeavours could profoundly shape their sexual practices. As such, learning about sex should be viewed as a lifelong endeavour. Our findings carry important implications for the development and delivery of sexuality education for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although sex education is often provided to young people, there is a lack of spaces where adults can go to learn more about sex from experts in a free and welcoming environment. One place that provides an opportunity for adult sex education is adult sexual retail stores. While these stores aim to be commercially successful, they also fulfil a role of educating adults about sex and sexuality. This study explains how Good Vibrations (GV), a sex-positive adult sexual retail store company in the USA, disseminates sexuality education for adults. Using qualitative methods including observations, interviews and textual analysis, I show how GV serves as a coach to its patrons. The coaching framework described here promotes shared responsibility through inclusive and accessible education, highlighting communication and focusing on pleasure and positivity. This paper provides one of the first evidence-based accounts of how an adult sexual retailer educates its customers and provides a model for sexuality educators for all ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development and evaluation of an interactive, narrative-based, multimedia game to promote learning and communication about sexual violence and health topics. High school-aged participants created the game concept in a three-week workshop, after which assets were assembled and refined by a university-based game design lab. The outcome,Lucidity, was a multimedia game with a nonlinear narrative that led to two different outcomes based on player decisions. The narrative followed the life of one character, an African American woman named Zaria who remembers and grapples with a sexual assault from her past. The player discovers parts of the story by reading comics, watching videos, navigating interactive websites and playing short videogames. The final evaluation consisted of gameplay, a post-game focus group and follow-up interviews. Twenty-four young people participated in three focus group discussions (n = 9,n = 5,n = 10); 23 participated in the follow-up interviews. Salient themes identified in the focus group discussions included: overall approval of the game, the acquisition of new knowledge and minimal past exposure to conversations or education about sexual violence. At follow-up, almost all (n = 22) had initiated a conversation about sexual violence with a parent, peer and/or teacher.Luciditysucceeded in engaging young people and facilitating communication with adults and peers regarding sexual violence and other sexual health topics. Ultimately, a game-based intervention such as this represents a feasible approach for introducing issues of sexual violence, with potential for future implementation in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, I report on an examination of the rhetoric and implementation of peer education in Myanmar. I demonstrate that while there was widespread consistency on interviewees' views of what peer education should involve, there was a significant gap between this rhetoric and the ways in which peer education was implemented, particularly in relation to the training of peer educators. It is my argument that this gap occurred because of failure to utilise, or even recognise, a particular form of knowledge: knowledge asphronesis, which is most commonly translated as ‘practical wisdom’ and incorporates factual, emotional and experiential knowledge. Instead, as I show, the pedagogic processes in use in peer education practice in Myanmar drew on an (unexpressed) understanding of knowledge asepisteme: a form of knowledge that is facts-based, technical and presumed objective. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper uses a case study approach to examine how the heteronormative nature of one middle school setting and classroom environment shapes the climate of safety, support and learning for LGBTQ students when they are engaged in studying a novel with a gay character. Heteronormative environments inform and shape positioning of and by students and teacher, impacting how knowledge is created, processed and applied. LGBTQ literature integrated into the classroom curriculum invites opportunities for possibilities through windows and mirrors for exploration of the world and self. Heteronormativity, positioning and LGBTQ literature thereby become interactive catalysts that create and foreclose possibilities and impossibilities for student learning. Three themes emerged from the study that reveal positioning and possibilities when studying a text with a gay character: (1) the school environment and classroom context positioned students as heterosexual; (2) students and teacher positioned gender performance and sexual identity as other; and (3) while the text acted as both a window and a mirror, the teacher and students consistently framed different, and sometimes contradictory, views for each other. Together, these themes reflect a nested understanding of gender performance and sexual identity that subscribed to heterosexual norms and limited possibilities for LGBTQ students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been few assessments of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education programmes in sub-Saharan Africa from the students' and educators' perspective. This study examined students' opinions on an SRH programme in northern Ghana and explored the facilitators and barriers for educators regarding the implementation of the programme. The sample comprised 147 students and 3 educators. Questionnaires were used to collect data from students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with educators. According to the students, the SRH programme was both important and interesting. Their expectations were moderately well met. They agreed that the main objectives of the programme and most of the objectives regarding the ‘family planning’ sessions had been achieved. Significant differences were found for school type, age and religion, but not for gender. For the educators, important facilitators were a clear manual, the presence of foreign volunteers working as educators, the increased influence of new media, students' eagerness to learn, and the feeling that the SRH programme really benefited students' lives. Important barriers were traditional and cultural influences, lack of funding and poor scheduling of the programme within the schools. The paper concludes by offering recommendations regarding the implementation of future SRH programmes in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While much research has documented unsatisfactory sexual and reproductive health (SRH) awareness among young people in South Africa, understanding of gender differences in access to and evaluation of SRH information is limited. This paper concerned itself with men and women's informal sources and content of SRH, and gendered divergences around accessibility, evaluation, and impact of such information. Fifty sexual history narrative interviews and twenty-five narrative interviews with women were conducted with participants purposively sampled from a range of ages, cultural and racial backgrounds, and in urban and rural sites across five provinces in South Africa. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. While young women were more likely to learn about SRH information from family members, they also reported greater regulation concerning their sexuality. This could enhance stigma surrounding women's sexuality and hinder open communication. Men predominantly learned about sex through pornography and peers, which was reported to encourage sexual prowess to the neglect of practising safer sex. Lack of adequate SRH instruction for young people as revealed through the narratives had significant and often negative implications for men and women's early safer sex behaviours. In response to these insights, recommendations are offered to strengthen informal sources of SRH awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Family Life Education (FLE) curriculum was introduced in Fiji schools in 2010 in response to concern about increasing teenage pregnancies and young people's vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections and other health and social problems. However, conservative and suspicious parental attitudes towards FLE have been an obstacle. The need for an educational programme for parents to complement the FLE curriculum taught in schools is now urgent. This study examines parents' views on the sex and sexuality component of the FLE curriculum. Data were collected from 474 individuals using questionnaires, focus groups and face-to-face interviews. Participants represented different ethnic groups with Indigenous Fijians, women and Christians in the majority. The influence of the Christian religion on negative attitudes towards homosexuality and the use of protection is strong, as is parents' resistance to discussing sex education with their children. The paper concludes with suggestions on how to counter parents’ resistance to what they negatively perceive as Western or unbiblical ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, questioning (LGBTQ) and genderqueer (GQ) students has highlighted the links between school-based marginalisation and decreased school outcomes. This paper applies stage–environment fit theory to an investigation of school ‘gender climate’, the official and unofficial policing of gender expression by school staff and students, to explore what role gender climate plays in the above relationship. Three school life components associated with stage–environment fit theory – (1) the organisational, (2) the instructional and (3) the interpersonal – were used to scaffold interview data on school gender climate from five LGBTQ Australian young people. Results implicate school staff in the maintenance of gender climate and highlight the deleterious impact of school silences on related subject matter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The goal of this paper was to determine the effectiveness of the HIP HOP for HIV Awareness intervention, an innovative model utilising an exchange of an HIV test for a hip hop concert ticket, in a metropolitan city among African American youth and young adults. A subset of intervention participants participated in standardised testing, sex education and pre/post test administration. Data were analysed to identify changes in knowledge and attitudes with respect to HIV and sexually transmitted infections pre/post the educational session. An analysis of knowledge revealed variance in the pre- and post-assessment findings among participants receiving the intervention. Level of education and gender significantly influenced the variance in knowledge discerned from the pre- and post-assessment among participants. Two three-level significant interactions emerged from the analysis of variance: knowledge, education and gender; and knowledge, education and race/ethnicity. Programme findings suggest that an increase in knowledge and improved self-perceptions related to attitudes are the result of a brief, HIV-focused community-based intervention among young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent advances in sex and relationships education (SRE), the Spanish education system still lacks coherent policies in this field. This paper provides an overview of the current situation, focusing specifically on Andalusia, and discusses the importance of providing SRE for young people. It first describes current Spanish education policy on gender equality and shows how this leaves little space for SRE. It then presents data on young people's sexuality and relationships collected in the course of an action research project utilising different qualitative techniques. Data deriving from 27 in-depth interviews focusing on values, norms and practices relating to young people's sexuality and relationships, conducted in two secondary schools in Granada, Andalusia, are then analysed in order to identify the degree of gender equality present within them. The results suggest that in sexual relations young people tend uncritically to accept and reproduce many of the patriarchal dimensions of gender and sexuality. Findings highlight the importance of linking more closely SRE to gender equality education policies in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the sexual socialisation process of marginalised, drug-using heterosexual black men, focusing primarily on the sources and content of sexual information. Analysing qualitative interview data, we discovered that the men in our sample both learn about sex and become sexually active at an early age. They most often learn about sex from the media and least often learn about sex from family members. The content of sexual information varies in specifics, but overall tends to equate sex with pleasure, encourage sexual activity with multiple partners and emphasise using protection. Our goal is to use this data to better understand how sexual socialisation contributes to the prevalence of multiple sexual partners and high rates of HIV among heterosexual black men in order to inform future risk-reduction intervention programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent research has highlighted the importance of parental involvement in sexuality education, and studies of sexuality education sometimes take place through national sexual health surveys. This paper aims to identify key parental characteristics that predict parental involvement in sexuality education while also encouraging a debate on how this topic is optimally investigated. Data used in this study comprised a subset from a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey of adults (18–45 years) living in Ireland (N = 3002). Parents (21–45 years) of a child/children aged 6 years or older at the time of the study (n = 966) were included in analyses. Results using propensity score analysis found that parents who reported engaging in sexuality education with their children were more likely to be women, aged 36–45 years, and also were more likely to have a larger number of children. Advancing the field of sexuality education research could be facilitated by the application of survey method and the advanced statistical techniques used here. Furthermore, a stand-alone national survey assessing parental involvement in sexuality education would be a worthy contribution to this knowledge base. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

People of Latin American descent make up the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the USA. Rates of pregnancy, childbirth, and sexually transmitted infections among people of Latin American descent are higher than among other ethnic groups. This paper builds on research that suggests that among families of Latin American descent, mothers have a particularly strong influence on the sexual attitudes and behaviours of their children, yet that parents of Latin American descent communicate less with their children about sex than parents of other ethnic groups. It examines the messages about sex women received as children in their countries of origin, and how these messages and their views of the USA influence the sexual education women provide for their children. On the basis of data from focus groups, we suggest that, in spite of the persistence of sexual silence, some women's self-reflective analyses of their own sexual education as well as their views of the USA as a sexually more open society contribute to their views of silence as dangerous and trigger more open communication with sons and daughters. Mothers hope to break the cycle of unwanted pregnancy by speaking with daughters about the consequences of menstruation and with sons about contraception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research reported in this paper investigates why teachers in regional primary schools in the Ballarat region of Victoria, Australia, are choosing to outsource the teaching of sexuality education. A survey was conducted of 29 Year 5 and Year 6 teachers from local primary schools. The teachers provided information about: their confidence in delivering sexuality-related topics; their perceptions of the relevance of given sexuality topics to their students; the teachers' own professional development preferences; and what they saw as their personal limitations in teaching sexuality education. Teachers tended to report low confidence in teaching topics that are considered ‘sensitive’, such as menstruation, wet dreams and sexual intercourse. Furthermore, they indicated a need for professional development in teaching sexuality education. The greatest hurdle identified lies in identifying how to motivate, engage and support teachers to take a professional interest in teaching sexuality education. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports on qualitative research with Australian parents concerning their attitudes to sexuality and relationships education, both at home and in school. A wide range of values and attitudes were represented among parents in this study. Regardless of the varying approaches parents used, all participants expressed a desire for their children to be well informed about sex, sexual health and relationships, yet many felt inadequate to the task of providing high-quality sex education to their children. Some participants blamed this lack of confidence on their own limited education about sexuality. Their main concern was to ensure that their children are safe and that when they do become sexually active their experiences of sex are positive. Most participants saw sex education as primarily their responsibility, with school sex education as an important adjunct. They wanted to be well informed about the timing and content of school programmes for their children, and to be assured that those educators who will be teaching their children about sexual health have the skills and qualifications to do their job well, while remaining sensitive to the diversity of values among students and their families. While most parents who participated in the research supported sexuality education in schools, they did so with reservations. In particular, they wanted schools to take an active role in communicating with them about the content of sexuality education programmes and be open to meeting with those parents who expressed concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine via responses to three questionnaire surveys how sexuality education programs are conducted at junior high schools in Japan. Study 1 examined the practice of sexuality education in schools, Study 2 investigated junior high school students' (age 12–13 and 14–15 years) knowledge of sexuality, and Study 3 examined parents'/guardians' views on sexuality education. For Study 1, 703 principals of 5158 junior high schools returned an original questionnaire (13.6% recovery rate), and for Studies 2 and 3, 9492 students and 5374 parents returned questionnaires (86.2% and 60.3% recovery rate, respectively). In Study 1, an average of 9.19 hours of instruction was allocated to sexuality education over three grades. In Study 2, the average correct response rate was as low as 34.5% for boys and 39.4% for girls, with many answering ‘I don't know.’ Approximately one-half of the boys indicated there was nothing in particular they wanted to know about sex and no-one they wanted to consult. In Study 3, parents viewed school as a more appropriate setting than home for teaching physiological aspects of sexuality and providing accurate information. From the results of the three studies, we discuss the current situation and future challenges for sexuality education in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Inclusive school environments have been shown to improve educational outcomes, retention, mental health and overall wellbeing for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students. Anti-bullying approaches have been common strategies used in schools to promote safety for all students, yet a well-established critique among scholars and educators suggests such approaches by themselves are insufficient. Little research exists investigating the spatial aspects of forming LGBTQ-inclusive school cultures. This article reports on an Australian study exploring teachers' and school staff understandings of how space influences inclusion and how they negotiateed or established 'safe spaces' for LGBTQ students. Drawing on the work of Edward Soja, we explored how participants constituted safety in conceived and perceived spaces, and how this informed the ways in which physical environments were established in the lived space to promote inclusion. We reveal the role of physical, discursive and curriculum spaces in everyday schooling activities and practices to promote LGBTQ inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite rising rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and inequitable access to education and services, few studies have addressed the unique sex education needs of newcomer youth in Canada and other increasingly demographically diverse Western countries. This study involved the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel and innovative participatory action research project, SExT: Sex Education by Theatre. SExT is a theatre-based, culturally empowering, peer education intervention piloted in a multicultural area of Toronto. Young people were trained as peer educators through participation in theatre-based workshops culminating in the performance of a new play for peers. Mixed methods evaluation involved surveys, focus groups, peer interviews and arts-based data collection. Paired-samples t-tests were conducted to investigate changes in sexual health self-efficacy (protection, STI/HIV testing, sexual limit-setting) over three time-points (pre, post, 4-month follow-up). Thematic analysis was used to gain a deeper understanding of outcomes. Quantitative analysis demonstrated significant improvements in outcome measures from pre– to post-intervention that were maintained at follow-up. Qualitative data indicated increased sexual health self-efficacy attributed to SExT. Pilot study findings suggest that SExT may serve as a model for sexual health interventions in areas populated by newcomer and other priority youth groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to identify Iranian preschool children's (N = 318) knowledge of genital and non-genital body parts. Assessment consisted of children naming selected external body parts in drawings of same-sex counterparts. Results indicated that almost all children knew the correct terms for their non-genital body parts, but few knew the correct terminology for their genitals. Many used slang terms and some appeared embarrassed or reluctant to reply (girls were more likely than boys not to respond). No statistically significant difference between the sex of children in knowledge of correct names of all genitals emerged. Boys knew the correct name of their genitalia (penis) significantly more than girls. Results indicated children are learning the names of their body parts but not their genitals, perhaps indicative of a lack of sexual health education that may be representative of the conservative culture in Iran. It is critical for young children to learn about their genitals as this knowledge provides the foundation for subsequent sex education and facilitates discussion about bodily safety to prevent sexual abuse. When children learn these names, it can facilitate disclosure of abuse and can assist those working with young children in medical settings, child protection and legal arenas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the findings of a quantitative online survey investigating Australian fathers' perspectives on communicating with their children about relationships and sexuality. A diverse sample of 612 Australian fathers of children aged 3 to 12 years completed the Sex Ed Dads survey, sharing their views on sexuality education and their role within it. Here, we discuss the relationships and sexuality-related outcomes fathers say they will value for their children during the teen years. We argue that contrary to assumptions perpetuated by the media, the outcomes Australian fathers value most reflect modern and holistic understandings of relationships and sexuality. The study found that fathers' top priorities for their teenage children were their capacity to avoid violent relationships, understand consent, and recognise and report sexual abuse, while their lowest priorities were delaying sex until marriage, and avoiding pornography. A slightly elevated level of concern for daughters compared to sons was evident in the data, and religious status was the socio-demographic characteristic responsible for most of the significant differences found. The findings offer insights for media, as well as schools, resource developers, and sexuality education providers seeking to support the increased engagement of fathers in sexuality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarly conversations regarding sexual violence and sexuality education typically emphasise cisgender and heterosexual experiences, leaving sexual and gender minority young people's voices unheard. This happens despite adolescence being a crucial period for the onset of sexual violence, with sexual and gender minority youth reporting elevated levels of victimisation. Moreover, the preponderance of research focusing on victimisation suggests notable gaps in our understanding of sexual violence perpetration. This study examined contextual factors shaping sexual violence victimisation and perpetration among sexual and gender minority youth, with school playing a key role. Based on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with 50 young people aged 14–26 years who self-reported sexual violence perpetration in the Growing Up with Media survey, the analysis demonstrates how schooling's 'hidden curriculum' leaves sexual and gender minority youth ill-equipped to navigate the world of sexuality. Formal sexuality education remains heteronormative and gender-segregated, resulting in incomplete understandings of sexual violence. At the informal level, gendered double standards and peer norms reinforce the second-class sexual citizenship of sexual and gender minority youth. Our findings suggest that schools may be complicit in sexual violence victimisation and perpetration by sending limited and mixed messages regarding gender and sexuality. Research and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational efforts to reduce global rates of adolescent pregnancy vary widely with a significant deficiency in the domain of sex education facilitator training. In this study, we sought to establish a pilot approach to comprehensive sex education facilitator training in Riobamba, Ecuador. The approach was aligned with UNESCO recommendations for training facilitators using an adapted version of the U.S.-based Big Decisions curriculum. Four internationally recruited bilingual instructors led a six-day (27-hour) intensive training-of-facilitators programme with twenty trainees using the Big Decisions sex education curriculum. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted using various approaches: anonymised and pre/post-self-assessments, daily feedback surveys of self and instructors, and facilitation practice evaluations. Responses to anonymised surveys indicated improved self-perceived confidence in teaching each curriculum section. More objective pre- and post-teach-back evaluations showed improved ability to teach randomly assigned lessons as assessed by trainers. The pedagogy of facilitator training in comprehensive sex education seeks to combine evidence-informed and culturally appropriate approaches to training facilitators under unique local conditions using adapted assessment tools. This project identified important culturally relevant insights relevant to the future training of comprehensive sex education facilitators working within culturally conservative communities, and Latin America in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how teachers' personal sexual experiences influence their motivations and practices when teaching sexuality education. Cultural schema theory was used to explore teachers' personal experience of the onset of sexual activity and explain how sexuality education teaching is influenced by such experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 secondary school teachers in Kampala, Uganda. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using principles of grounded theory. Findings show that while teachers' personal experience of sexual initiation did not directly align with the content of their messages, due to the centrality and evocative function of these schemas these experiences strengthened teachers' motivation to teach sexuality education because they enabled them to empathise with students. The study concludes that teachers' personal experiences of sexual initiation provide intrinsic motivation for teaching sexuality education. The inclusion of dialogues and activities which encourage self-reflexivity in teacher education and training may improve the delivery of sex, sexuality and relationships education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the sexuality education curriculum in primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark. Taking inspiration from the 'what is the problem represented to be?' approach to policy analysis, we explore how discourses of risk, health, quality of life, sexual diversity and critical pedagogy simultaneously permeate curriculum policy and contribute to the production of particular subjectivities among pupils and teachers. Over time, changing national curricula have moved towards greater centralisation with increased attention paid to learning outcomes rather than to wider educational ideals. An analysis of the current curriculum reveals three sidelined discourses: discourses on pleasure and erogeneity; discourses on LGBTQ+ issues; and discourses on ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. The Danish national curriculum on sexuality education produces two contrasting subject positions: on the one hand, the uninformed pupil in need of protection and, on the other hand, the empowered, responsible and agentic student. Postmodern and critical approaches to sexuality education risk eliminating room for certain subjectivities while opening up space for new forms of agentic norm critical subjectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the association between sexual orientation and seeking/receiving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information from media sources during adolescence. We analysed data from male and female participants (aged 23–35 years) from the U.S.-based Growing Up Today Study (GUTS) in 2016. Sex-stratified, multivariable log-binomial models adjusted for age, cohort and race/ethnicity were used to examine sexual orientation differences in retrospective self-reported seeking/receipt of SRH media information before age 18. Sexual minority (e.g., mostly heterosexual, bisexual, gay) men and women were more likely than same-gender individuals who identified as completely heterosexual to seek/receive SRH information about contraceptive methods (e.g., condom use), sexually transmitted infections, and HIV and AIDS. Although lesbians were more likely than completely heterosexuals to seek/receive SRH information from media about each topic, they were the sexual minority subgroup with the smallest proportion seeking/receiving SRH information. Sexual minorities may passively and/or actively receive SRH information pertaining to a wide range of topics, including skills-based sex education, from media sources more frequently than heterosexuals, which may influence safe-sex decision-making. Lesbians in particular may benefit from media information dissemination focusing on their specific SRH needs, as current media sources do not seem to be well-utilised by this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classrooms are important spaces for young people with variations in sex characteristics and their classmates. Sex education can promote agency and well-being by helping young people make sense of their embodiment and form rewarding social relationships and by changing societal understandings about variations in sex characteristics. Realising this potential however may hinge on how sex education makes intersex (un)talkable. We draw on interviews with 22 young people on how and why they try to make their variation in sex characteristics talkable with others. By focusing on how they talk to others and why they do not talk to others, this research highlights how participants 'fear rejection' but need to talk to others about their variation in the process of 'dealing with it'. Participants also struggle with 'secrecy versus privacy' and how to 'communicate strategically.' Findings acknowledge the emotional work required of people with variations in sex characteristics when making intersex talkable. The analysis points to the role of both talking and silence. We conclude by envisaging a norm-critical sex education that engages with the responsibilities of both talking and listening, shifting the burden away from individual young people with variations in sex characteristics and working towards more mutual social relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) accords opportunities for scientifically accurate information about sexual and reproductive health (SRH). We used a mixed-methods study to characterise adolescent SRH knowledge, attitudes and service utilisation experiences in the context of CSE implementation in Zambia. In-school young people aged 12–24 years (N = 1,612) in the North-Western Province were randomly surveyed. A 29-item index was constructed to measure alignment of knowledge, attitudes and values (KAV) with the CSE curriculum. Logistic regression, stratifying by sexual debut status, modelled associations of past-year HIV counselling and testing and family planning service access, respectively, with CSE-KAV index scores. Focus group discussions further explored perceptions of and experiences accessing SRH services. Despite moderate SRH knowledge and acceptability of SRH services, fewer than half of sexually experienced young people reported accessing SRH services. Among sexually experienced youth, neither HIV testing nor family planning service utilisation in the previous year were associated with higher CSE-KAV index scores. Salient barriers to SRH service uptake included limited perceived benefits, unsupportive household and community environments, and negative interactions with health providers. To increase accessibility and uptake of youth SRH services, linking school-based CSE to SRH services is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, school-based immunisation programmes (SBIP) provide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to secondary school students. However, despite such free programmes, around 20% of girls and 25% of boys do not complete all doses. This formative study identified barriers and enablers to vaccine completion. Online surveys were conducted with senior school administrators and nurses from Western Australian secondary schools across all three school sectors. Year 8 students participated in focus group discussions. Parents participated in one-on-one interviews (n = 22). Administrators were supportive of vaccination and the SBIP. Nurses and administrators perceived lack of parental awareness, issues around consent and school absenteeism as the main barriers to completion. Parent and student knowledge concerning HPV, the HPV vaccine and immunisation in general were low. Despite this, students and parents were supportive of the SBIP and wanted the opportunity to learn more about HPV, the vaccination and immunisation in general. There are opportunities for targeted school-based work to increase awareness and provision of consent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexuality education in school is important for students' reproductive health; however, devising ways of tailoring it to the needs of a particular society can be challenging. We compared preferences for type of sexuality education in high schools and the level of knowledge of reproductive health among students, parents and teachers in Myanmar. A cross-sectional study was conducted in public high schools in Pyin Oo Lwin. Students, their parents and teachers were asked their preferences for sexuality education and their reproductive health knowledge. Focus group discussions were held to explore their insights on sexuality education for students. We found that 73% of students preferred comprehensive sex education whereas 62% and 56% of parents and teachers preferred an abstinence only approach, respectively. Reproductive health knowledge was low, particularly among students, and particularly with respect to knowledge of sexually transmitted infections. Cultural issues, training and manpower emerged as key themes from the focus groups. Over half of the students said that they were not receiving any form of sex education at school. Reproductive health knowledge was unsatisfactory among all participants reflecting the insufficiency of current sexuality education classes. Training and support for teachers should be provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attitudes towards sexual health and relationships are learned from a young age, and there is an ongoing need for innovative and comprehensive approaches to sex education that keep pace with rapidly changing contexts of people's lives. We used thematic analysis of data from two qualitative studies in Scotland to explore learning contexts from a multi-generational perspective, as well as the influence of different socio-cultural factors on provision, access to and experience of sex education. The importance, but inadequacy, of school as a source of learning, was a persistent theme over time. Participants' strategies to address perceived gaps in knowledge included experience, conversations, vicarious and online learning. Gender and age differences emerged, with younger participants more likely to go online for information, and prevailing gender norms shaping attitudes and behaviours across both study groups. Participants who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual described feeling particularly unprepared for sex and relationships due to the narrow, heteronormative content received. Although schools continue to be a common source of information, it appears that they fail to equip young people for their post-school sexual life-course. We recommend the mandatory provision of comprehensive, positive, inclusive and skills-based learning to improve people's chances of forming and building healthy, positive relationships across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Santa Ana, California has the highest teenage birth rate in Orange County, USA, at 28.2 per 1,000 women aged 15–19 as compared to 12.0 per 1000 women of similar age elsewhere in the county. In the light of this disparity, University of California Irvine medical students surveyed a convenience sample of 9th grade students (aged 14–15 years) in Santa Ana to assess the efficacy of a medical student-led sex education programme. Nine 50-minute sex education lessons were conducted over a 2-week period, with pre- and post-tests to evaluate knowledge retention. A total of 301 pre-tests and 295 post-tests were collected. Of 27 multiple choice questions, the mean number of correct questions on the pre-test was 11.3 (± 4.2) compared to 14.1 (± 5.0) questions on the post-test. There was significant improvement in scores following the implementation of the curriculum (p < 0.001). Overall, findings demonstrate that medical students can effectively teach a sex education curriculum. The study serves as a potential model for sex education in geographic areas that exhibit disparities in teenage birth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex education takes place in a wide range of contexts including through the media. Media use among young men who have sex with men is high and gender identity and sexual orientation are topics often integrated into today's media. Little is known about young men who have sex with men's perceptions of how the media frames messages about gender identity and sexual orientation and the implications these messages have on HIV prevention. A greater understanding of young men who have sex with men's perceptions of media framing about gender identity and sexual orientation is needed to ensure prevention efforts reach those most impacted by HIV. Focus groups were conducted with forty-two African American men who have sex with men, aged 18–21, living in the Southeastern USA. Thematic analysis revealed that participants reported using the Internet and television to access gender identity and sexual orientation information. Participants felt that the media's framing of gender identity and sexual orientation only worsened HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Findings illustrate the important role that media can play in educating about gender identity and sexual orientation and the implications this framing has for HIV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore how sex education in special schools in Sweden is influenced and challenged by the multicultural aspects of modern society. In particular, it sought to explore professionalls' experiences of sex education and of honour-related experiences among young people with intellectual disabilities. Data from five individual interviews and one focus groups with four professionals were thematically analysed using sexual scripts as a theoretical framework. The results reveal an ambivalent honour-related script geared toward pupils with intellectual disabilities from cultural backgrounds differing from those of the Swedish mainstream. The provision of sex education, including information about honour-related experiences, is especially important because of these young people's vulnerability; however, addressing the subject effectively is sensitive and complicated. Colleagues with different cultural backgrounds can act as 'culture bridges' for professionals who lack strategies, methods and materials. Increasing professionals' prerequisite qualifications (e.g. further education, supervision) and adopting autonomy-promoted conduct can empower pupils with intellectual disability to exercise autonomy over their sexuality outside their immediate cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to investigate the association between nativity status and Hispanic young women's formal sex education and parental sex education in the USA. We used data from a cross-sectional sample of 310 Hispanic young women aged 18-24 years old from the 2013-2015 US National Survey of Family Growth. We assessed 11 outcomes: four formal sex education topics; receiving any formal sex education; a formal sex education scale; four parental sex education topics; and receiving any parental sex education. The majority of our sample was US-born Hispanic versus foreign born (72.6% and 27.4% respectively). Foreign-born Hispanics were less likely to have received any type of formal sex education than US-born Hispanics (adjusted odds ratio = 0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.24, 0.68, p < 0.01). Foreign-born Hispanics were less likely to have received parental HIV sex education than U.S.-born Hispanics (aOR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.97, p < 0.05). Nativity status did not have a significant effect on each unit increase on the scale (aB = -0.07, SE = 0.16; aβ = -0.42, p > 0.05). Our results indicate that having appropriate sex education knowledge is better than not being cognisant. Future studies should however examine the quality and content of sex education programmes so policymakers can better understand these young women's sexual behaviours and decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports of findings from a study among Spanish school students, with the goal of examining homophobia as perceived and expressed in three different contexts: education, the family and socially. A survey on adolescence and sexual diversity was administered to 128 tenth-grade students in their 4th year of secondary school in Castellón, Spain. Data were analysed both descriptively and inferentially so as to reveal any similarities and differences by gender. Findings reveal relatively high levels of homophobic attitudes and the need for intervention at the school level. Suggestions are made about the best ways in which this might occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a multicultural nation such as Australia, it is important for young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to have access to quality relationships and sexuality education, as they are known to be less well engaged with mainstream services. A study was undertaken to explore the complexities and opportunities for engaging this group with sexual and reproductive health information and care in Sydney, Australia. Interviews were undertaken with 27 migrant and refugee young people (aged 16-24 years), and 34 expert informants. Relationships and sexuality education was a dominant theme throughout both data sets. Nearly all young people reported that they were unable to discuss sexuality or sexual health with their parents, and most identified secondary school as the place where they first learned about these issues. Other sources of information were identified as the Internet, friends, health professionals and pornography. Participants appeared to have limited awareness of the different services available to them. Schools, as well as other education settings such as universities, private colleges and intensive English centres, are well placed to deliver relationships and sexuality education, and for migrant and refugee young people these may be valuable settings in which to access information rarely discussed in family or community environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]