Sexual self-esteem and sexual satisfaction are key yet understudied components of sexual well-being among queer emerging adults. This study surveyed LGBTQ+ individuals ages 18-25 (n = 208) to examine the relationship between sexual self-esteem, sexual satisfaction, and sources of sexual information. Regression analyses revealed a significant positive association between sexual self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. Participants reported learning most about sex and sexuality from peers and media, highlighting the importance of informal and affirming sources of sexual socialization. These findings underscore the need for more inclusive sexual education and media representation that centers queer experiences.
School-based sexuality education in sub-Saharan Africa remains constrained by moral regulation, limited dialogue, and uneven pedagogical implementation, limiting adolescents' access to meaningful sexual and reproductive health learning. Although peer-led approaches are widely promoted, less is known about adolescents' experiences of becoming credible sexuality education facilitators. This study examined an expert-to-peer cascade model implemented across five Ghanaian senior high schools, focusing on adolescents' reports of acquiring knowledge, building facilitation confidence, and circulating sexual and reproductive health information through peer networks. Using a multi-site interpretive qualitative design informed by phenomenological sensitivity, data were generated through forty in-depth interviews with trained peer educators and student beneficiaries, five focus group discussions, and twenty hours of participant observation. Findings indicate that expert-led training clarified sexual and reproductive health concepts, modeled respectful communication, and bolstered peer educators' confidence. Participants reported that peer-led sessions created more open spaces for questioning, clarification, and respectful engagement with sensitive topics. They also described ongoing conversations in dormitories, friendship circles, and other school spaces. The study highlights the importance of structured preparation, ethical facilitation, privacy protection, and ongoing supervision in peer-led sexuality education.
The present study aims to understand Italian families' communication about Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) using a triadic perspective through a qualitative study. We interviewed fifty families, including their mother, father, and adolescent children. A top-down, small q Thematic Analysis (TA) was conducted to investigate families' communication experiences and dynamics. From the TA, five themes emerged: (1) who I discuss SE with; (2) what I discuss; (3) what I feel; (4) when I discuss SE; and (5) how I discuss SE. The study has relevant educational implications for interventions and tools design for SE, highlighting the importance of helping parents and adolescents address CSE in their family conversations.
This study assesses the levels and socio-demographic predictors of Sexual Health Literacy (SHL) among master's level students at Tribhuvan University University, Nepal, focusing on the three domains of functional, interactive, and critical literacy. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed, utilizing a structured online questionnaire administered to 480 students. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses (chi-square tests) were conducted using SPSS. Qualitative insights from six in-depth interviews were integrated to triangulate and contextualize the quantitative findings. The results indicate a moderate to high level of SHL across all domains (composite means: 3.76-3.78). However, significant disparities were found, with higher literacy scores significantly associated with being male, from a Brahmin/Kshetri ethnicity, employed, or having a higher paternal education. Qualitative data revealed a critical gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, highlighting uncertainty about contraception, fear of judgment, and the inhibiting role of cultural stigma. The study concludes that SHL is shaped more by socio-economic context and lived experience than by formal education alone. This calls for a shift in policy and curriculum design toward comprehensive, experiential, and culturally responsive sexuality education programs in higher education to effectively bridge the gap between awareness and action.
Background: Previous research, conducted with teen moms in rural Missouri, found that participants either abstained from or halted birth control use due to personally, or a person close to them, experiencing extreme side effects, including anxiety, depression, endometriosis, infertility, weight gain, and bipolar symptoms. While many of these side effects are not medically confirmed, the current study sought to understand if the perceived risk of these extreme side effects was generalizable to girls in rural Missouri. Methods: Experimental vignettes were used to explore the effects of family experience, tobacco consumption, and type of birth control on participants' (N = 163) perceived risk of experiencing these side effects. Results: Results suggest that weight gain and anxiety are viewed as the most common side effects of hormonal contraceptives, while bipolar symptoms were perceived as the least prevalent side effect. There were significant moderating effects for family experience and risk of endometriosis, age and weight gain, and race and weight gain. Conclusions: Girls in rural areas may be misinformed about the risks of hormonal contraceptives. Identifying sources of misinformation regarding contraceptive side effects and comprehensive sex education as preventive factors for systematic misconceptions could increase contraceptive use and reduce unintended teen pregnancies.
Gender based harms (GBH) are prevalent on college campuses, with first year students at heightened risk for victimization. Such experiences carry significant and lasting physical and psychological consequences, underscoring the need for sustained, comprehensive prevention strategies. This paper presents an innovative curricular model: a 3-credit, multidisciplinary first-year course integrating a 12-session experiential prevention program with 15-sessions of academic content on the types, causes, and consequences of GBH, and the social factors that facilitate it. Grounded in the social-ecological model, it combines theory and practice to promote changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Implementation lessons offer guidance for replication.
This study examines the perspectives of Turkish young adult learners on LGBTQ representation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings, drawing on poststructuralism, social constructionism, and queer theory. These frameworks challenge essentialist views of identity, emphasizing the socially constructed, fluid nature of sexual identities. Through a descriptive case study, the study investigates the views of 15 Turkish university students toward LGBTQ inclusion in EFL textbooks and classroom activities. 15 volunteers selected from a pool of 30 students reflected the sensitive nature of the topic in a conservative cultural context where heteronormativity is often reinforced by the education system. Data were collected through a ten-item open-ended questionnaire and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Findings show that while most participants support LGBTQ representation in educational materials, they also recognize the cultural and religious factors contributing to LGBTQ exclusion. This study contributes to research on LGBTQ inclusion in language education. It underscores the importance of critically engaged pedagogy in EFL, suggesting that educators and curriculum developers may benefit from critically examining heteronormative assumptions and promoting discussions around gender and sexuality. This study advances theoretical discussions on how queer theory can inform teaching practices and support marginalized identities in language education.
Sexual health education in healthcare training remains inconsistent across disciplines, resulting in significant knowledge gaps among students. This gap in education leads to inadequate support for patients, particularly those experiencing disability or undergoing treatments that affect sexual health and functioning. This study aims to explore the current state of sexuality-related training among interdisciplinary healthcare professional students at one university and evaluate their perceived need and interest in sexual health education. Seventy-four healthcare professional students from five disciplines responded to a survey, with most (76.4%;) reporting low levels of perceived preparedness to address patients' sexual health needs and low estimates of class time devoted to topics about sexual functioning (M = 1.70 hours; SD = 2.2). Students also ranked the participating healthcare disciplines by responsibility to address sexual health needs, which yielded a range of responses, suggesting opportunities for enhancing interdisciplinary education about scopes of practice and responsibility. Findings from this survey study will inform the development of comprehensive, inclusive educational programs to better prepare future healthcare professionals to address sexuality as a core component of holistic, patient-centered care.
BackgroundCourt-involved non-incarcerated (CINI) girls and girls with prior carceral exposure often have heightened sexual and reproductive health (SRH) risks and unique needs but limited access to care. These risks are compounded by childhood trauma and lack of access to trauma-informed, developmentally-aligned SRH education. Despite this, few interventions are tailored to the needs of CINI girls or those with prior carceral exposure.ObjectiveWe piloted the My Body, My Choice for CINI Girls (MBMC-CINI), a trauma-informed, community-adapted SRH education intervention, with CINI girls and girls with prior carceral exposure, assessing for changes in SRH knowledge, attitudes, and confidence.MethodsWe conducted a pre-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest study with three cohorts (N = 31). Participants identified as cis-girls, ages 12-18, who were either CINI or had prior carceral exposure. MBMC-CINI was delivered via Zoom and included 11 interactive modules facilitated by health educators, clinicians, and lived experience experts. Participants completed surveys at baseline, 1-month, and 3-months post-intervention. Measures included knowledge of birth control methods, sexual health concepts, confidence using contraception, and communication behaviors. We assessed changes over time using Exact McNemar and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Tests.ResultsTwenty-four participants completed baseline surveys, 21 completed 1-month follow-up, and 17 completed all three assessments. Delivery of MBMC-CINI was associated with significant improvements in familiarity with multiple contraceptive methods (e.g., birth control pills, condoms, injectable birth control) and confidence in correctly using condoms and contraception. Retention was high, with most participants attending the majority of sessions, despite substantial structural barriers; for example, 42% of participants reported homelessness in the prior year.ConclusionsThe MBMC-CINI intervention was associated with improvements in SRH knowledge and confidence, along with strong intervention engagement, supporting further testing of this intervention at scale. Expanding access to tailored, trauma-informed SRH education has the potential to advance reproductive health outcomes and health equity for marginalized youth.
Despite decades of research supporting comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), sex education in U.S. K-12 settings remains inconsistent, politically constrained, and often abstinence-based. As a result, higher-education human sexuality courses (HEHSCs) frequently represent students' first exposure to accurate, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate sexual health content. Prior research documents that HEHSCs improve knowledge, attitudes, and relational competence, yet little is known about how undergraduates (particularly those who have never taken such a course) perceive them. To address this gap, this qualitative study explored students' views of who enrolls in and teaches HEHSCs, whether such courses should be required, and why students choose to take them. Eighty-eight undergraduates completed four open-ended items analyzed via inductive content analysis. Participants viewed enrollees as women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual/gender minority (LGBTQ+) students in helping professions. Additionally, instructors were assumed to be inclusive, progressive, and often women or LGBTQ+ scholars. Students were divided on whether HEHSCs should be required: some emphasized autonomy and cost, whereas others cited universal benefits for empathy, consent, and inclusion. Findings highlight how sociopolitical stereotypes shape perceptions of HEHSCs and underscore the need to broaden their appeal through inclusive pedagogy, diverse instructor representation, and cross-disciplinary integration.
Sexual health education is much needed - in Brazil and many other countries - to address the vulnerabilities of child and adolescent sexuality. The goal of the present study was to assess the beliefs of Brazilian parents about sex education and the association of those beliefs with Right-wing Authoritarianism (RWA) attitudes. Data were collected between August 2022 and January 2023 using a cross-sectional online survey with a convenience sample of Brazilian parents of children aged 4-18, who completed self-report measures of beliefs about sex education (SBSES) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA-12). Results have shown that Brazilian parents likely have positive views toward sex education. RWA attitudes of traditionalism, authoritarianism, and contestation to authority were significant predictors for these beliefs, as well as political preference and sexual orientation. Implications for educational policy and future research are discussed.
The implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in Arab society in Israel is shaped by a persistent tension between deeply rooted religious-communal norms and the accelerating pressures of globalization and digital exposure. This study empirically validates the Three-Axis Model-structured around Professional Empowerment, Motivation, and Internalization-as a culturally responsive framework for reducing teacher resistance and strengthening pedagogical competence in conservative contexts.A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was employed within a pre-service teacher training course at Kaye Academic College (N = 28 Arab pre-service teachers). Quantitative pre-post questionnaires assessed shifts in perceived legitimacy, confidence, and instructional readiness, while qualitative reflective narratives, simulated dialogue transcripts, and practicum-based projects examined processes of meaning-making and professional transformation.Findings confirm that the model's three axes function synergistically: integrating indigenous Islamic sources achieved cultural legitimation; structured simulation practices enhanced professional confidence and community-facing communication skills; and applied assignments fostered internalization of a culturally adapted CSE discourse. Statistically significant improvements in instructional self-efficacy were accompanied by qualitative evidence of reframing sexuality education from a perceived threat to a culturally grounded responsibility.Beyond the local case, the study contributes empirical evidence that anchoring CSE within religious and cultural epistemologies-rather than positioning it in opposition to them-can transform teacher preparation in conservative societies. The Three-Axis Model thus offers a transferable framework for reconciling tradition and modern health education in culturally complex settings.
As social media becomes an increasingly popular vector for young adults and college students in particular, it is necessary to consider the role social media plays in establishing the norms college students and their behavior. In this study, we use the quantitative data of a mixed-methods research study to consider the relationship between social media use, sexual behavior, perceptions of the sexual behavior of peers, and understandings of consent. We postulated that because social media often creates a kind of echo chamber, posts may often become an aspirational space where users make assumptions based on perceptions of behavior. Specifically, this study focuses on the use of the four most popular social media sites at the time of data collection: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Results of the study indicate that social media influenced the behavior of college students regarding their identity formation and sexual activity. We also found differences in social media use and sexual activity by racial identity. However, this same pattern was not found for gender identity, with only statistically significant differences in social media use between women and men. Furthermore, we found that each specific social media platform influence and predict risky sexual activity to varying degrees.
Sexuality is a foundational aspect of human experience, yet mental health professionals report discomfort discussing sexual topics with clients. This study examined whether therapists' confidence in sexual knowledge predicts comfort with sexual discussions and whether lived experience or training influences that relationship. Responses from Mental Health Professionals (MHPs; N = 266) showed a significant positive association between knowledge and comfort, controlling for demographics and experience. Training did not mediate the relationship, and no moderation effects emerged for gender identity, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity. Findings position knowledge as a key predictor of comfort. Further implications are discussed.
This study aims to examine the role of menopause attitudes in predicting sexual dysfunction and psychological well-being in women during menopausal period. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was completed with 444 menopausal women. Regression analysis showed that menopause attitudes significantly predicted both sexual dysfunction (beta = -0.108, p = 0.023) and psychological well-being (beta = 0.211, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the important role of menopause attitudes in health of women during the menopausal period. More positive attitudes toward menopause appear to be associated with better psychological well-being and may also have a modest influence on sexual function. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving women's perceptions and attitudes toward menopause may contribute to enhancing their psychological well-being and supporting their sexual health. In this context, healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, may play an important role in providing education, counseling, and supportive interventions to promote positive menopause attitudes and improve women's overall well-being during this life stage.
The purpose of this cross-sectional, exploratory study was to investigate which topics under the second edition of the National Sex Education Standards (NSES) were valued and which high school school-based sex education program (abstinence vs. comprehensive) was preferred among selected college students at a mid-sized Southern university. The survey was used to explore what National Sex Education Standards hold the most or least value based on personal beliefs. The survey instrument included every 10th-grade standard from the NSES and demographic questions to determine the perceived importance of each topic within the NSES, as well as differences among groups based on demographics and other variables. Results indicated that the majority of participants perceived all standards and topics as important and preferred that high school students receive a comprehensive sex education curriculum. Findings from this study have implications for curriculum development or expansion, guiding administrators and educators in enhancing the comprehensiveness of high school school-based sex education programs.
