title: Viewpoints of Minnesota students on school-based sexuality education.
abstract: This study gathered information on the perceptions of high school students with regard to human sexuality education. Six focus groups were conducted with 9th-12th grade students at public high schools in the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, area. Students described the content of effective sexuality education as covering a variety of human sexuality topics as well as emotional/social aspects of sexuality and relationships. They advocated starting such education in early elementary school and covering all topics by eighth grade. Students strongly favored a presentation style that was open, honest, comfortable, and nonjudgmental, and they believed teachers should be specially trained in this area. Relating material to students' lives and using a discussion format were also considered essential to effective sexuality education. The students' viewpoints have significant implications for teachers, school administrators, and policy makers.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Health and Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagenaar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neumark-Sztainer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012574:Schools; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods*; D019529:Sexuality