Children and adolescents’ interests in sexuality themes

• Anastácio, Z. ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidade do Minho

     Universidade do Minho

     Braga (São José de São Lázaro), Portugal

     
• Localización: Libro de abstracts del II congreso internacional de sexualidad: expresando la diversidad, 2021
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto Completo Libro (pdf)
• Resumen

  • Being sexuality education a part of the health education process in schools, and since manyprograms of sexuality education do not consider the needs of the students, this study isbased on a diagnosis of the interests and questions of children and adolescents aboutsexuality according to their developmental stage. The main objective was to conduct asurvey of students’ needs and questions in the field of sexuality, for an appropriate sexualityeducation. The methodology used was predominantly qualitative, collecting data throughopen questions, which were then categorized and quantified. The sample covered 32classes from primary school to higher education in the northern region of Portugal. Datacollection was done using a format A5 white page (having only the indication for theindividual variables age, school grade and sexes) where students wrote theirquestions/doubts. Then a database was built in the program SPSS and categories wereestablished a priori following the key concepts for sexuality education defined by UNESCO(2018). Categories and subcategories were coded and a descriptive analysis was done. Apattern of issues and interests was found depending on the age group, noting that children’interests are related to conception, birth, and the well-being of the fetus/newborn.Adolescent’s interests are focused on contraception, sexually transmitted infections,relationships and (in)fertility problems. These issues are situated on the key concepts humandevelopment and sexual and reproductive health, which are topics of biology or naturalscience education. Having knowledge about the interests of each age group, teachers canbe abler to develop sexuality education skills appropriate to the developmental stage of thestudents, motivating them to better learn, leading to a reduction of risky sexual behaviorsand a conscious decision-making for the experience of a healthy sexuality, as suggested inhealth promotion approach.