The (mis)match between sexuality education programs in school and the expectations of Ecuadorian adolescents

Abstract

Considering the relevance of adolescents’ voices in the design and implementation of sexuality education programs, the current study explores adolescents’ perceptions of ongoing sexuality education they are receiving at school (SSE) and perceptions about their teachers’ professionalism towards this topic (SEPT) in Ecuador. A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling procedure was followed to involve 702 adolescents between 11 and 19 years old in the study. Participants perceptions of SSE and SEPT were assessed based on a Likert scale survey encompassing 15 closed and 4 open questions. Responses were analyzed in relation to their gender, parental migration status, age and geographical location. Adolescents expressed high satisfaction with sexuality education received at school (SSE) and were mildly satisfied about their teachers’ competences regarding sexuality education (SEPT). Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed slight differences in relation to the socio-demographic variables. Answers to open-ended questions reflected a strong influence of a biological approach on sexuality education. Given the satisfaction levels in SSE and SEPT, and the contrasts between the biological approach and the overarching Ecuadorian framework, the results have clear implications for the design and implementation of future sexuality education programs and training teacher proposals.