Student-reported relationships and sex education coverage and knowledge among a diverse population of early adolescents: a cross-sectional survey of students in England

Melendez-Torres, G.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9823-4790, Ponsford, Ruth, Meiksin, Rebecca, Tilouche, Nerissa, Sundaram, Neisha, Sturgess, Joanna, Allen, Elizabeth, Lohan, Maria, Young, Honor, Hadley, Alison, Campbell, Rona and Bonell, Chris 2024. 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: Sexuality, Society and Learning 24 (4) , pp. 497-514. 10.1080/14681811.2023.2219212

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education) Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer)
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	1468-1811
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 June 2024
Date of Acceptance:	25 May 2023
Last Modified:	05 Jun 2024 13:14
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/165597

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