Missing the Mark: How Inadequate Sex Education Policies Leave U.S. Youth Vulnerable
Disciplines
Health Psychology | Social Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
In the U.S., most schools require some form of sex education, but it is rarely comprehensive even though it needs to be. Young adults aged 15 – 24 account for half of all new STI cases each year, despite making up only a fourth of the population. Teen birth rates remain a significant problem. This can lead to a myriad of challenges, including health issues, educational setbacks, and financial instabilities. They frequently exclude crucial topics, such as contraception, teen pregnancy, dating violence, consent, and sex trafficking. Lack of federal mandates leaves decisions up to the state based on community values. This often results in delivering limited sex education. The purpose of this research was to examine state policies on sex education in relation to political affiliation, teen birth rates, sexually transmitted infection rates, contraception use, consent, and dating violence. Sex education policies, state statutes, state board of education policies, and state department of education or curriculum standards were obtained and analyzed for all 50 states. The policies for each state were coded using a binary coding scheme for the presence or absence of the following content: state-mandated sexual education, sex trafficking education, consent, HIV/AIDS, abstinence-only, parental review option, parental opt-in, and parental opt-out. Results showed that comprehensive sex education is limited in the U.S., especially in conservative states. Most states had some form of mandated sexual education (54%), HIV/AIDS (86%) prevention, abstinence-only (76%), and offered parental review (52%), and parental opt-out (74%). Few states addressed consent (26%) or sex trafficking education (34%); most did not require parents to opt-in for their child to participate. Mandated sex education, rates of teen births, gonorrhea, and chlamydia differed significantly based on political affiliation by state. Failure to provide comprehensive sex education in all states can increase vulnerability among youth.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dorothy Marsil
Missing the Mark: How Inadequate Sex Education Policies Leave U.S. Youth Vulnerable
In the U.S., most schools require some form of sex education, but it is rarely comprehensive even though it needs to be. Young adults aged 15 – 24 account for half of all new STI cases each year, despite making up only a fourth of the population. Teen birth rates remain a significant problem. This can lead to a myriad of challenges, including health issues, educational setbacks, and financial instabilities. They frequently exclude crucial topics, such as contraception, teen pregnancy, dating violence, consent, and sex trafficking. Lack of federal mandates leaves decisions up to the state based on community values. This often results in delivering limited sex education. The purpose of this research was to examine state policies on sex education in relation to political affiliation, teen birth rates, sexually transmitted infection rates, contraception use, consent, and dating violence. Sex education policies, state statutes, state board of education policies, and state department of education or curriculum standards were obtained and analyzed for all 50 states. The policies for each state were coded using a binary coding scheme for the presence or absence of the following content: state-mandated sexual education, sex trafficking education, consent, HIV/AIDS, abstinence-only, parental review option, parental opt-in, and parental opt-out. Results showed that comprehensive sex education is limited in the U.S., especially in conservative states. Most states had some form of mandated sexual education (54%), HIV/AIDS (86%) prevention, abstinence-only (76%), and offered parental review (52%), and parental opt-out (74%). Few states addressed consent (26%) or sex trafficking education (34%); most did not require parents to opt-in for their child to participate. Mandated sex education, rates of teen births, gonorrhea, and chlamydia differed significantly based on political affiliation by state. Failure to provide comprehensive sex education in all states can increase vulnerability among youth.
