If I Only Knew Then: Single Adults’ Perceptions of the Impact of Sex Education on Their Romantic and Sexual Lives

Abstract

Objectives: Sex education research has focused largely on youth and adolescents, rather than adults. The current study explores single adults’ attitudes about the potential impact of their sex education, including a lack of sex education, on their current sexual and romantic relationships. Methods: Data were collected in 2023 from a demographically representative U.S. sample of single adults (ages 18 to 98 years). Participants (n = 3,895) reported whether they had learned about 16 different topics typically included in comprehensive sex education programs and their perceptions of how additional sex education beyond what they had received would impact their adult lives. Results: When asked about sources of sex education/information, the majority of participants (54.6%) reported learning only about reproduction or pregnancy in school. Further, more than one in three participants reported receiving no education or information—from school or any other source—about healthy relationships (33.6%), gender identity (37.3%), or how to decide if they wanted to have sex (34.1%), among other topics. Participants believed that had they received additional sex education, they would currently have a better understanding of how to have a positive/healthy relationship, how to date more effectively, and how to talk about sex with partners. Participants also reported that additional sex education would have led to more sexual confidence now (40%) and healthier romantic relationships now (44%). Conclusions: Implications for supporting healthy and satisfying sexual and romantic relationships by providing evidence-based informal (i.e. non-school-based) sources of sex education for adults, including online education programs, are discussed.