Dispelling the Myth: What Parents Really Think about Sex Education in Schools

Autor/inn/en	Tortolero, Susan R.; Johnson, Kimberly; Peskin, Melissa; Cuccaro, Paula M.; Markham, Christine
Titel	Dispelling the Myth: What Parents Really Think about Sex Education in Schools
Quelle	In: Journal of Applied Research on Children, 2 (2011) 2, Artikel 5 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2155-5834
Schlagwörter	Misconceptions; Parent Attitudes; Sex Education; Barriers; Decision Making; Contraception; Middle School Students; Prevention; Pregnancy; Participant Characteristics; Telephone Surveys; High School Students; Elementary School Students; Texas + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Missverständnis; Elternverhalten; Sex instruction; Sexualaufklärung; Sexualerziehung; Sexualkunde; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Empfängnisverhütung; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Prävention; Vorbeugung; Schwangerschaft; Telephone interview; Telefoninterview; High school; High schools; Oberschule; Studentin
Abstract	Background: School-based sex education is effective in reducing risky sexual behavior among adolescents that may lead to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. However, most sex education policies in the US do not support evidence-based programs. Understanding parental attitudes around sex education is crucial to overcoming perceived barriers to implementing school-based sex education. Little research has been published on the opinions of parents in Texas, which accounts for 12% of the nation's teen births. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether Texas parents favor teaching sex education in schools, in what grades they think sex education should be taught, what content they think should be taught, and who they think should make decisions regarding sex education. Methods: We commissioned a telephone survey of parents of children 18 years or younger in Harris County, Texas. Survey questions assessed demographic characteristics and opinions about sex education. We used chi-square tests to examine differences across sociodemographic characteristics. Results: 1,201 parents completed the survey. The majority of parents (80%) responded that sex education should begin in middle school or earlier, and two-thirds said that it should include information about condoms and contraception. Hispanic parents showed the highest support for teaching sex education and providing medically accurate information on condoms and contraception in middle school or earlier. Conclusion: Parents in Harris County overwhelmingly support sex education that includes medically accurate information about condoms and contraception beginning before high school. These data provide evidence to change sex education policies to better reflect parental opinions. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Children At Risk. 2900 Weslayan Street Suite 400, Houston, TX 77027. Tel: 713-869-7740; Fax: 713-869-3409; e-mail: jarc@childrenatrisk.org; Web site: http://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/childrenatrisk/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01