A Statewide Assessment of Sexuality Education in Florida’s

Public Schools

Brian M. Dodge, Ph.D.

RCS 6740 / PHC 6700 – Research Methods Final Presentation

April 11, 2006

Rationale

• The school is an important location for the dissemination of important sexual health information and teachers have an essential role to play in sexuality education. (SIECUS, 2006)

• Florida, like all states, has specific directives that influence a school’s sexuality education curricula.

• Little is known about the factors that facilitate or challenge the ability of schools and teachers to develop, implement, and evaluate their sexuality education initiatives.

Goals

• The major goals of this proposed study are to: 1. assess the characteristics of Florida public

schools’ sexuality-related curricula, and2. identify the factors that facilitate and challenge

teachers’ ability to provide sexuality education. • To achieve these goals, we will conduct a

statewide survey, guided by community based participatory research (CBPR), with Florida public school personnel who are responsible for providing sexuality education.

Tentative Study Team• I anticipate funding will be provided by …• I will be the Principal Investigator• I would like to find two Co-Investigators with

experience in sexuality research and CBPR• I would like to enlist 20 individuals for two

Community Advisory Committees (North and South Florida)

• I would also like to enlist 5 scientific advisors and a statistician

• I will hire four research assistants

Research Design: Survey Development

1. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) for community advisory boards

- Advantage: input from community- Disadvantage: may lack scientific review

2. Scientific review- Advantage: can add scientific rigor- Disadvantage: may override community

input

Research Design: Survey Implementation

3. Statewide survey - I will conduct a survey of Florida

teachers collecting primarily quantitative data (some qualitative data will also be collected)

- Advantages: can reach a large number of participants

- Disadvantages: low response rates

Research Questions, Hypotheses, & Variables

Insert yours here!

Sampling Procedures

• I will acquire a dataset from the Florida Department of Education, selecting all teachers with the primary teaching codes of health, physical education, science, and family/consumer sciences (N= approximately 8000).

• From this data, I will select a random stratified sub-sample of approximately 2000 teachers.

• Teachers will receive a letter of intent (IRB-approved Informed Consent Form) as well as the survey. I anticipate that at least 30% of the participants will respond to the survey.

Sample Survey Question14. Please indicate your agreement with the following statements:

In my classroom, I teach the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity. Yes No

In my classroom, I teach abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school age children. Yes No

In my classroom, I teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems. Yes

NoIn my classroom, I teach that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in context of marriage is the

expected standard of human sexual activity. Yes NoIn my classroom, I teach that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful

psychological and physical effects. Yes NoIn my classroom, I teach that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for

the child, the child's parents, and society. Yes NoIn my classroom, I teach young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use

increases vulnerability to sexual advances. Yes NoIn my classroom, I teach the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity.

Yes No

*Explanation …

Sample Survey Question31. Were materials (curriculum, books, pamphlets, etc.) in your sex

education classes during the 2005-2006 school year available in any language other than English? (Please check all that apply.)

  Yes, materials were also available in Spanish Yes, materials were also available in Haitian Kriyol Yes, materials were also available in another language, please

specify________________________ No, materials were only available in English

*Explanation …

Sample Survey Question33. Please indicate the extent of your agreement with the following statements. – INSERT 5 point Likert scale (5=strongly

agree, 4=agree, 3=mixed feelings, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree) ON EACH QUESTION – TACS Scale A.     I find it difficult to speak about sex.B. I would be embarrassed to teach about sexuality to my students.C. Sexuality should not be discussed in the classroom.D. I would not be comfortable teaching a class concerning sexuality.E. Students should be discouraged from asking sexuality-related questions.F. Teachers who have strong religious beliefs about sexuality should teach such beliefs to their students. G. Talking about sexuality encourages people to become sexual.H. Young people should learn about sexuality from their own experiences.I. Teachers need to discuss the role of the family in personal growth and development.J. Teachers need to help adolescents understand their responsibilities to self, family, and friends.K. Adolescents should be taught about sexuality.L. Sexual play among adolescents is natural and harmless.M. Sexuality education should not be taught in the school.N. Experts such as doctors, nurses, psychologists rather than classroom teachers should be called upon to teach sexuality in

the school.O. I have strong feelings against teaching sexuality in the schools.P. Persons involved in school sexuality education lack adequate training.Q. Before a person should be allowed to teach sexuality education, they should meet certain criteria (i.e. certification).R. A well-qualified teacher is the most important ingredient in an effective school sexuality education program.S. I need additional training on how to teach and incorporate the emotional aspects of human sexuality.T. Videos are an effective method for teaching sexuality.U. Lectures are an effective method for teaching sexualityV. I need additional training on the sexuality of adolescents.W. Parents are generally supportive of school based sexuality education.X. My school district provides adequate training and helps teachers to secure necessary resources.Y. Outside groups (i.e. parents, religious groups) pose a significant influence to implementing sexuality education in the

classroom.Z. Guest speakers are effective methods for teaching sexuality.

*Explanation …

Data Analysis Plan

• I plan to compare and contrast different teachers’ responses from different areas of the state using a wide variety of statistical techniques including correlations, ANOVA’s, etc. – depending on the different types of variables from the different questions (explanation … )

• Qualitative data from the survey will also be quantified

• Qualitative data from the community advisory board meetings will inform the study throughout the course of the project

Thank You!

Any questions?