Moving Toward a More Comprehensive Standard for Sex Education: A Latent Class Analysis and Examination of Young Adult Sexual Health

While sex education has been linked to adolescent health, few studies have examined how comprehensiveness of school-based sex education may promote young adult sexual wellbeing. The current study used latent class analysis to examine patterns in the comprehensiveness of topics included in sex education among a national sample of young adults (N = 676). Many participants had not received sex education (40%) or had received sex education that was focused on abstinence (20%) or sexual risks (25%). Only 15% had received comprehensive sex education (likely to cover a range of topics, including condoms/contraception, sexual communication, gender, sexual orientation, pleasure, consent, etc.). Analyses examined how class membership related to sexual health. Compared to all other groups, young adults that had received the most comprehensive sex education were more likely to use condoms and communicate with their partners about STIs. They were also more likely to have had an STI test (compared to those who received other types of sex education) and reported greater sexual satisfaction (compared to those who received no sex education). Those that received the most comprehensive sex education reported their sex education to be more inclusive, preparative, and empowering but less comfortable. Implications for research and practice are discussed.