Youth engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, placing them at risk for human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and other unwanted sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. Alarmingly, Black and Hispanic/Latinx adolescents who are houseless are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors and are disproportionately affected by these outcomes. Sex education can equip Black and Hispanic/Latinx adolescents who are houseless with the knowledge and skills to protect their SRH. Disturbingly, sex education is not mandated to be taught in all U.S. schools. Therefore, it is critical for parents to provide sex education to their teens. However, most parents do not possess the knowledge and skills to educate their teens about sex education.
Specifically, parent-child communication about the topic may be lacking. Research shows that parent-child communication regarding sex and dating is associated with fewer risky sexual behaviors. Thus, parents must be armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to help them effectively communicate evidence-based sex education topics to their teens. Borrowing from the case study methodology, the overarching purpose of this dissertation was to elicit parental input for the design, feasibility, and content of a potential parent-based sex education program among parents living or who lived in homeless shelters and transitional housing in New York City (NYC).
Specifically, this study aimed to (i) conduct a scoping review on parent-based sex education interventions that include parental involvement in the program and parental input in the planning or design process; (ii) administer needs assessment questionnaires to collect information on program input and parental attitudes, beliefs, and views about sex education and the program; and (iii) conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews to further collect specific information on program input and understand parental attitudes, beliefs, and views about sex education and the program.
The scoping review of the literature confirmed the absence of parent-based sex education programs in homeless shelters and transitional housing in the country. From the needs assessment questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, participants highlighted the need for an accessible, convenient, and flexible parent-based sex education program. Furthermore, parents yearned for interactive and fun ways of learning sex education topics with various participants. Lastly, study participants endorsed comprehensive and inclusive information about life skills and sex education being included in the parent-based program.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:columbia.edu/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/sv45-v359 |
| Date | January 2023 |
| Creators | De Leon Jr., Reynaldo |
| Source Sets | Columbia University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Theses |
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