Sexual Health Education and Students of Color: Student Voices and Reported Benefits

• In Event: Fostering Students' Development and Learning During Middle School, College, and Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Experiences of students of color (SOC) in sexual health education are largely underrepresented. To better understand their experiences within a comprehensive sex ed program (Get Real), we followed an epistemological, thematic analysis approach to analyze self-reported beneficial aspects of participation in Get Real of 316 middle-school SOC. Identified themes were: personal application (future use of information and safety/prevention), learning/understanding, and helping others. Results suggest the value SOC placed in their experiences in Get Real and that skills-based sexual health education may promote safe sex practices. Study findings are unique given lack of diversity/cultural relevance in sexual health education, providing voice and perspective of SOC, and are useful in promoting increased diversity, culturally sensitive, and socially relevant sexual health education.

Authors

• Yvonne Allsop, Eastern Michigan University

• Shantanu Tilak, The Ohio State University

• Adriana I. Martinez Calvit, University of Missouri - St. Louis

• Mary Kay Irwin, Nationwide Children's Hospital

• Eric M. Anderman, The Ohio State University