An examination of the effects of sexual education on American college students: sexual knowledge, sexual behaviors, and sexual opinions
Abstract
Roughly 10 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections occur in individuals aged 15 to 24 every
year in the United States, and over 300,000 babies are born to women 15 to 19 years old annually (CDC
2011; CDC, 2013). Finding ways to combat these negative health outcomes has been a challenge for
decades. One feasible solution to the problem may be sex education. The United States has three
frequent modes of teaching public school students about sex including abstinence only, abstinence plus,
and comprehensive sex education, with the primary focus being the health outcomes associated with
sexual activity (Carroll, 2009; Gilbert, 2010; Schalet et al., 2014). Universities often offer courses in
human sexuality that tend to focus on a wide array of topics and implement a more holistic view of
sexuality (Hock, 2012). This study tested the effects that different types of sex education may have on
college students' level of sexual knowledge, health, behaviors, and opinions. Results indicated that AOE,
AOEP, and CSE programs did not have a significant effect on the outcome variables. However, students
who had taken human sexuality in college had significantly higher levels of sexual knowledge, reported
healthier sexual behaviors, and held more positive views toward sexual topics. These findings suggest
that we may need to revise the way we educate teens and young adults about sexuality.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology.
Rights
This material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with its source. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the author and/or publisher.Related items
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