Sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes, and perceptions and actualities of sex education among elementary school parents

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to understand sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes, and the perceptions and actualities of sex education among parents of elementary school children. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a sample size of 337. SPSS version 21.0 was used for data analysis, including descriptive analyses, the t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: More than 50% of the participants responded that primary sex education for young children should be the responsibility of the parents and that education should be stared during the elementary school period. A moderate correlation was found between parents' sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes (r=.44). Most parents were afraid to provide sex education because of their unfamiliarity with teaching methods and their lack of knowledge. However, 50 of the parents wanted to receive sex-related education. Conclusion: We found that parents would like to learn more about sex education from expert lectures or professional organizations. They were interested in topics including the sexual structure of males/females and sexual physiology. Open communication between parents and their children regarding sex-related issues is important. It is crucial to provide accurate and up-to-date sex education information to parents so that they can effectively teach their children at home.