Healthy Body, Healthy Mind: Exploring the Mental Health Implications of Comprehensive Sex Education

Abstract

Within this article, we present the results of a thematic analysis of responses (N = 267) regarding perceived and anticipated mental health implications of accurate and comprehensive sex education. The superordinate theme of psychological functioning and well-being reflects participants’ belief that sex education normalizes and destigmatizes diverse sexual experiences and can reduce fear, anxiety, and worry about sex. The superordinate theme of knowledge captures patterns in responses wherein participants reflected on the benefits of knowledge, including that it facilitates safety, confidence, improved decision-making skills, and provides awareness. Implications and applications for these themes are thoroughly discussed and outlined.

Keywords:

• Sexuality
• sex and relationship education
• mental health
• well-being

Disclosure Statement

The authors report that there are no competing interests to declare.

Ethics Committee Approval Statement

The Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences Ethics Committee approved the study at Brunel University London. Approval codes: 30075-MHR-Apr/2021-32372-2 and 32039-MHR-Oct/2021-34631-3.

Data Availability

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the first author, TA, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded via the corresponding author’s research funds allocated by their institution.