| dc.description.abstract | Early adolescence includes youth approximately 11-14 years of age. This age group represents a population open to learning more information about sexuality and signifies a developmental period where effective sexuality interventions may begin (Ott & Pfieffer, 2009; Grossman et al., 2014). Early adolescence is a critical period when adolescents’ initial views on sexuality are formed. Influencing early adolescent sexual health attitude and behaviors are many sources of information, including parents, peer groups, teachers, and media sources (Batchelor et al., 2004; Grossman et al., 2014; Sennott & Mollborn, 2011; Secor-Turner et al., 2011). Literature focusing on older adolescents (Mollborn & Sennott, 2015; Secor-Turner et al., 2011) may not adequately convey information that is relevant to early adolescents, as sexual health and informational needs may differ. Previous research suggests investigating sources of sexual health information among adolescents and the content of sexual health discussions (Sennott & Mollborn, 2011). Therefore, my dissertation study examines early adolescent perceptions regarding sources of sexual health information. My dissertation study builds upon previous work completed through my written comprehensive examinations. In my first comprehensive examination, I completed a literature review regarding ways to incorporate adolescent perspectives into public school sexual education practice. In this review, we discussed aspects affecting public school sexual education, including historical contributions, abstinence-only education, and comprehensive sexual education, followed by literature discussing adolescent perceptions. Based on the literature review, we developed six recommendations for public school decision makers to consider when incorporating adolescent perspective into public school sexual education practice. Completion of this comprehensive examination provided background knowledge and context to build future research work, as well as introduced me to various adolescent perspectives and familiarized me with various factors affecting school-based sexual health education. In my second comprehensive examination, I completed a qualitative pilot study discussing fathers’ experiences talking with their children about sexually related topics. In this pilot study, I completed individual semi-structured interviews with five fathers of children between the ages of 14 to 18. Using an inductive content analysis approach, we examined transcript data using a coding process adapted from Graneheim and Lundman (2004), where we took original transcript text and developed meaning units, codes, and categories. Based on analysis of the categories, we collapsed and grouped similar categories and developed three overall themes illustrating the fathers’ experiences shared in the pilot study. Completion of my second comprehensive examination acquainted me with parent literature regarding sexual health topics which I applied to portions of the introduction section and within the implications for future research section of my dissertation study. I used the insight gained from completion of my second comprehensive examination to inform a similar process for data collection, coding, and data analysis for my dissertation study. In my third comprehensive examination, I completed a quantitative survey exploring health education teachers’ experiences involving parents in sexuality education. For this paper, we developed a survey, adapted in part from Eisenberg and colleagues (2013), reviewed by an inter-professional group and two experts with experience in health education/survey construction. To identify methods health educators use to involve parents in public school-based sexuality discussions, we distributed a survey among the Kansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (KAHPERD) email list. Twenty-six participants completed the 25-item web-based survey (using REDCap). Using Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficents, we found good to excellent correlations among various curriculum topics that participants believed should involve parent participation. We identified the percentage of methods used to communicate, educate, and involve parents in sexuality discussions, with 52% of participants reporting not involving parents in sexuality discussions at school. Participants reported various sexuality curriculum topics should involve parental participation; however, a mismatch existed between belief and teaching practice. Completion of my third comprehensive examination further influenced my understanding of factors affecting school-based sexuality education, particularly from a sexual health educators’ perspective, as well as introduced me to the REDCap survey program. I used a similar process from my third comprehensive examination to inform the development of the survey used within my dissertation study. My comprehensive examination manuscripts illustrate my research experiences and aligning of topics which ultimately built up to my dissertation study, including the selection of the dissertation topic and study methods. As part of examining aspects of sexuality education, my dissertation builds on my previous comprehensive examinations, which included a comprehensive literature review, fathers’ experiences, and health educators’ experiences. My dissertation adds to the body of sexuality education research by exploring early adolescent perceptions, an age group that has less inclusion in existing sexual health research, both through a qualitative approach using individual semi-structured interviews, and a quantitative approach via individually administered surveys. Based on the individual semi-structured interviews, we identified two overarching themes each with three categories, that convey the participants experiences and perceptions regarding sources of sexual health information. Survey data indicated participants believe their mom to be the most frequent source of sexual health information, followed by close friends, dad, and the internet. Survey results highlight sexual health topics that participants currently want to know more about, with puberty and healthy relationships being the two most common topics. Information from both the individual interviews and survey data contribute to early adolescent research by offering participant insight through two different modalities, thereby illustrating participants’ individual experiences acquiring sexual health information. | |
