Preparation of selected Jamaican adolescents for coping with human sexuality

Abstract

This study explored the degree to which secondary school students were prepared to cope with their sexuality. It examined: (a) the age at which certain concepts become known to them; (b) the sources from which they acquired information pertaining to sexual matters; (c) the misconceptions they held regarding reproduction processes; (d) their degree of knowledge about biological reproductive terms; (e) their perceptions and opinions on certain topical sexual issues, for example, abortion and homosexuality; and (f) their opinions about the Family Life Education programme offered in their schools. Data were obtained through a questionnaire administered to 332 students (139 male and 193 female). The results of the data analysis showed that: 1) information on sexual matters was readily available to both boys and girls, but parents tended to be more open with girls than with boys; 2) information relating to topics such as abortion, pregnancy, contraceptives, and puberty changes was given to boys before girls; 3) students depended on school nurses and counsellors for information on sexual matters; 4) parents were not the main informants on sexuality; 5) boys held more misconceptions about sexuality than girls and were more permissive; 6) younger students knew more about the biology of reproduction than the older ones; 7) although, unlike the boys, girls considered the Family Life Education Programme to be useful, both boys and girls were somewhat dissatisfied with the programme, as well as with the efforts of parents and friends to provide information on sexual matters; and 8) students experienced some confusion and conflict on certain sex-related concepts