The Impact Of Comprehensive Sexual Education

The benefits of youth receiving comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) are significant. Researchers found on a national and international level that youth who received CSE demonstrated delayed sexual initiation, reduced risk-taking, increased use of contraception, and improved attitudes and behaviors related to sexual and reproductive health.¹

Teen Pregnancy
Kohler, Manhart, & Lafferty (2008) found that teens that received sex education that included information about contraception had a lower risk of pregnancy compared to adolescents that received abstinence-only or no sex education.²

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections
Rates of sexually transmitted diseases and infections among adolescents and young adults are concerning. While adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 25 only make up 25 percent of the population, they are accountable for 50% of all new STDs.³ Researchers found that when adolescents were provided with comprehensive sexuality education, there was a reduction in sexually transmitted diseases and infections, an increase in getting tested for STDs and STIs, and a decrease in risky behavior.⁴

Appreciation of Sexual Diversity
Goldfarb & Lieberman (2021) found significantly positive outcomes when students were provided with a sex education curriculum that was LGBTQ-inclusive, including lowered rates of homophobia, reduced homophobic bullying, expanded understanding of gender norms, and recognition of gender equity, rights, and social justice.⁵

Dating and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention
When middle and high school students were provided with sex education that included knowledge about dating and intimate partner violence, researchers found that students exhibited improved knowledge and attitudes about reporting intimate partner violence, decreased intimate partner perpetration and victimization, and increased bystander intentions and behaviors.⁶ Furthermore, researchers found that programs designed specifically to reduce intimate partner violence resulted in increased knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to healthy relationships and increased communication skills with the intent to discuss issues with partners, parents, and healthcare providers.⁷

Prevention of Sexual Abuse in Children
Research indicated the inclusion of sexual abuse prevention information and skills in their sex education curriculum, including behavior practices, role plays, and parent involvement. Students showed improved knowledge, attitudes, skills, and social-emotional outcomes related to personal safety and touch.⁸ Researchers also found including sexual abuse prevention in the curriculum improved disclosure skills among students and increased parent-child communication about child sex abuse.⁹

Social-emotional Learning
Goldfarb & Lieberman (2021) found that when social-emotional learning was incorporated into sex education, children displayed rates of increased empathy, respect for others, improved communication, managing feelings, positive self-image, and an increased sense of self-control and safety, and establishing and maintaining positive relationships.¹⁰

Abstinence-only Programs
When it comes to making an impact on the sexuality and sexual health of youth, the results for abstinence-only programs fall short. Fox, Himmelstein, Khalid, & Howell (2019) analyzed the impact of abstinence-only programs across the United States and found that for the country as a whole, money that was spent on abstinence-only programs had no effect on adolescent birth rates.¹¹

The evidence is compelling. Providing youth with comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) significantly improves sexual and reproductive health. Utilizing the CSE curriculum results in the reduction of sexually transmitted diseases/infections and reduced rates of teenage pregnancy. CSE not only promotes gender equality and equitable social norms, but increases rates of safer sexual behaviors, supports the development of healthy relationships, and prevents sexual abuse in children.

1. UNESCO. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach. UNESCO Publishing.
2. Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 344-351.
3. Braxton, J., Carey, D., Davis, D. W., Flagg, E. W., Footman, A., Grier, L., & Weinstock, H. (2014). Sexually transmitted disease surveillance 2013.
4. George, G., Beckett, S., Reddy, T., Govender, K., Cawood, C., Khanyile, D., & Kharsany, A. B. (2022). Role of Schooling and Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Reducing HIV and Pregnancy Among Adolescents in South Africa. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999), 90(3), 270; UNESCO. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach. UNESCO Publishing.
5. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
6. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
7. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
8. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
9. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
10. Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2021). Three decades of research: The case for comprehensive sex education. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
11. Fox, A. M., Himmelstein, G., Khalid, H., & Howell, E. A. (2019). Funding for abstinence-only education and adolescent pregnancy prevention: Does state ideology affect outcomes?. American journal of public health, 109(3), 497-504.