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School-based Sexuality Education Curricula: Are Parents Supportive?

Author

Listed:
  • Viktoriya I. Yuodeshko

    (Research Institute of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus)

Abstract

This paper discusses the findings of a study on the attitudes of Belarusian parents with school-aged children towards school-based sexuality education programs. The study aimed to measure parental support for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and its individual components, identify the topics and age ranges approved by parents, and determine which course characteristics are important to them. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to evaluate the factors that influence parental support for introducing sexuality education in schools. The study found that a fairly high share of 60.6% of parents were supportive of the introduction of CSE, despite low satisfaction and awareness of the current information presented in schools. Parents approved a median age of 13.3 years as the minimum age for CSE curriculum. However, topics such as safe use of cell phones, computers, the Internet, and social media; psychological pressure and violence; peer bullying; confronting peers; sources of help; relationships, love, friendship, parenting, and family were considered permissible for earlier age ranges. The study found that parental support to school-based sexuality education is influenced by several factors. These include parents' normative ideas about the balance of responsibility between family and school in educating children and adolescents about sexuality, the level of awareness of and satisfaction with available information on sexual development and health in the school curriculum, whether parents have a college degree, parents' personal experiences in having intimate conversations with their children, and any difficulties they may encounter in such communication. The paper offers recommendations for a CSE course architecture that is relevant to the context of Belarus and meets parental expectations, as well as on perspectives for advancing sexuality education in Belarus.

Suggested Citation

  • Viktoriya I. Yuodeshko, 2023. "School-based Sexuality Education Curricula: Are Parents Supportive?," Population and Economics, ARPHA Platform, vol. 7(2), pages 23-39, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:arh:jpopec:v:7:y:2023:i:2:p:23-39
    DOI: 10.3897/popecon.7.e102566
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Belarus sample survey children adolescents reproductive health sexuality education parents;

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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