Student-reported relationships and sex education coverage and knowledge among a diverse population of early adolescents: a cross-sectional survey of students in England
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Student reported relationships ...
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Authors
Melendez-Torres, G. J.Ponsford, Ruth
Meiksin, Rebecca
Tilouche, Nerissa
Sundaram, Neisha
Sturgess, Joanna
Allen, Elizabeth
Lohan, Maria
Young, Honor
Hadley, Alison
Campbell, Rona
Bonell, Chris
Affiliation
University of ExeterLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Medical Biology Centre, Belfast
Cardiff University
University of Bedfordshire
University of Bristol
Issue Date
2023-06-16Subjects
relationships and sex educationrelationships and sexuality education
Subject Categories::X300 Academic studies in Education
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Student-reported quality and coverage of school-based relationships and sex education (RSE) vary, with gender/sexual-minority and disadvantaged students reporting poorer provision. Experience of RSE among younger adolescents is under-explored. We examined student-reported RSE coverage and priorities and how coverage, and sexual-health knowledge and awareness of services, varies between students and schools. The data came from a pre-intervention survey of students aged 12–13 years within a trial of an RSE intervention involving 50 English schools. There was most coverage of basic information, such as puberty and safeguarding. There was least coverage of topics more appropriate for older students, such as sexual relationships, and topics teachers might find difficult to broach, e.g. pornography and masturbation. Girls, gay/lesbian students, students of bisexual/other sexual orientation, minority-ethnic students and students reporting lower academic commitment reported lower coverage than others. Knowledge of RSE-related topics and sexual-health services was generally low. Boys, students of bisexual/other orientation and students with higher school commitment had higher knowledge. Students of bisexual/other orientation and students of lower commitment reported lower awareness of services. Coverage and knowledge did not vary with school-level attainment or local deprivation. Future forms of RSE provision should ensure content and teaching methods meet the needs of all students.Citation
Melendez-Torres GJ, Ponsford R, Meiksin R, Tilouche N, Sundaram N, Sturgess J, Allen E, Lohan M, Young H, Hadley A, Campbell R, Bonell C (2023) 'Student-reported relationships and sex education coverage and knowledge among a diverse population of early adolescents: a cross-sectional survey of students in England', Sex Education, 24 (4), pp.497-514.Publisher
Taylor & FrancisJournal
Sex EducationAdditional Links
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681811.2023.2219212Type
ArticleLanguage
enISSN
1468-1811EISSN
1472-0825Sponsors
This study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research in England under its Public Health Research Board (131487).ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1080/14681811.2023.2219212
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