Preparing to teach relationships and sexuality education: student teachers’ perceived knowledge and attitudes

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample demographic characteristics (n = 118).

Variable	n	Percent
Age (in years)
19	10	8.4
20	13	11
21	30	25.4
22	17	14.4
23–33	13	10.8
Missing	35	29.7
Gender Identification
Man	8	6.8
Woman	92	78
Non-binary	1	0.8
Missing	17	14.3
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual	72	61.0
Bisexual	7	5.9
Gay man	0
Gay woman/lesbian	0
Self described	1	0.8
Missing	38	31.9
Nationality
Irish	54	45.4
Missing	65	54.6
Religiosity (Religion is important in my life)
Strongly disagree	13	11
Disagree	16	13.6
Neither agree nor disagree	25	21.2
Agree	36	30.5
Strongly agree	9	7.6
Missing	19	16.1
Stage of Programme
2^nd year Bachelor of Education (Primary)	21	17.8
3^rd year Bachelor of Education (Primary)	34	28.8
4^th year Bachelor of Education (Primary)	28	23.7
1^st year Professional Masters in Education (Primary)	4	3.4
2^nd year Professional Masters in Education (Primary)	3	2.5
Missing	28	23.7

Table 2. Topics included in each of the 10 domains of the perceived knowledge and comfort survey.

10 RSE Domains
The Human Body and Human Development (knowledge α = 0.74; comfort α = 0.76)	Fertility and Reproduction (knowledge α = 0.79; comfort α = 0.83)	Sexuality: Behaviour and Identity (knowledge α = 0.85; comfort α = 0.89)	Emotions (knowledge α = 0.93; comfort α = 0.89)	Relationships and Lifestyles (knowledge α = 0.86; comfort α = 0.85)	Family Structures (knowledge α = 0.83; comfort α = 0.91)	Sexuality: Health and Wellbeing (knowledge α = 0.86; comfort α = 0.95)	Sexual Abuse and Coercion (knowledge α = 0.89; comfort α = 0.96)	Sexuality: Rights (knowledge α = 0.79; comfort α = 0.83)	Social and Cultural Influences on Sexual Decision-Making (knowledge α = 0.90; comfort α = 0.93)
Within Domain Topics
Form and function of the human body	Contraception	Pornography	Worries	Friendships	One parent families	Sexual health	Sexual violence	Right to be safe and protected	Influences of Laws
Biological Sex differences	Pregnancy	Diversity in Sexual Behaviour	Attraction	Romantic relationships	Traditional nuclear families	Sexual wellbeing	Sexual abuse	Right to explore intersex	Influences of Religion
Physical changes during puberty	Infertility	Gender-Role expectations	Love	Family relationships	Alternative care families (e.g. Foster Care)	Unintended pregnancy	Non-consensual sexual experiences	Right to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)	Influences of Gender-Roles
Body image	Abortion	Pleasure (e.g. masturbation and orgasm)	Intimacy	LGBTQI relationships	LGBTQI parented families	Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)	Coercive sexual experiences	Right to self-expression	Influences of Culture
		Sexting	Social and emotional development during puberty	Influence of gender on relationships	Blended (Step) families	Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)	Grooming	Right to access sexual and reproductive services (e.g. abortion)	Influences of Peers
		Gender Identity		Online dating		Sexual health services	Revenge pornography		Influences of Socio-Economic Status
		Intersex					Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)		Influences of Age
		Sexual Orientation
		Illness regarding sex
		Disability regarding sex

Table 3. Number of participants across level of input received in RSE (n = 92) and across year of programme.

	Level of Input: (Count)
Year of Programme	None	Not Enough	Enough	More than Enough
BEd. Year 2 (n = 18)	1	6	10	1
BEd. Year 3 (n = 31)	0	17	14	0
BEd. Year 4 (n = 27)	3	21	3	0
All respondents	4	56	31	1

Figure 1. Professional preparation to teach RSE to groups of children and adolescents expressed as a percentage of total number of responses for each question.

Figure 2. Provision of teaching and practice opportunities across stages of programme expressed as a percentage of responses for each question.

Table 4. Overall mean and standard deviation response scores (per topic domain) for RSE perceived knowledge and comfort (n = 118).

	Perceived Knowledge			Perceived Comfort
	Mean	SD	Classification*	Mean	SD	Classification
The Human Body and Human Development	4.11	0.46	High	4.05	0.63	High
Fertility and Reproduction	3.76	0.66	High	3.51	0.88	Moderate
Sexuality: Behaviour and Identity	3.20	0.62	Moderate	3.24	0.78	Moderate
Emotions	4.11	0.65	High	4.17	0.66	High
Relationships and Lifestyle	3.94	0.65	High	4.19	0.58	High
Family Structure	3.79	0.67	High	4.28	0.63	High
Sexuality: Health and Wellbeing	3.37	0.68	Moderate	3.60	0.91	Moderate
Sexual Abuse and Coercion	3.07	0.79	Moderate	2.89	1.07	Moderate
Sexuality: Rights	4.15	0.70	High	4.14	0.70	High
Social and Cultural Influences on Sexual Decision-Making	3.54	0.75	Moderate	3.87	0.73	High

*Classification for interpreting Likert scale data (Alkharusi 2022).

Figure 3. Number of respondents across age at which they believed that RSE should (n = 95).

Alkharusi, H 2022. “A Descriptive Analysis and Interpretation of Data from Likert Scales in Educational and Psychological Research.” Indian Journal of Psychology and Education 12 (2): 13–16

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