Sex Education in the Family
Author(s):
Lenka Kamanová (presenting / submitting)
Conference:
ECER 2012
Network:
21. Emerging Researchers' Group (for presentation at Emerging Researchers' Conference)
Format:
Paper

Session Information

ERG SES F 10, Health

Parallel paper session

Time:
2012-09-18
09:00-10:30
Room:
FCEE - Aula 4.2
Chair:
Daniel Fischer

Contribution

The paper is an integral part of a PhD project exploring sex education in the family as seen by mothers and fathers. The objective of the conference presentation is to inform about the findings of the project established so far, with focus on sex education in the family from the parents’ point of view. The research questions are as following:

 

What is mother’s understanding of ‘sex education’?

What is father´s understanding of ‘sex education’?

How mother reflects her own educational activity with respect to sex education?

How father reflects his own educational activity with respect to sex education?

How do mother´s and father´s points of view differ?

 

The paper focuses on sex education in the family as a part of educational activity directed from parents to children and a part of intergenerational learning in the family, the assumption being that in the case of sex education it is the parents from whom the children learn. The process is basically one of intergenerational transmission of certain knowledge towards children. The author is concerned with both intentional and unintentional educational activity of parents.

 

There are basically three levels of sexual education from wider point of view: Preparation for a family life, Preparation for a partnership life and Preparation for a sexual life of an individual.

The concept of the sex education is understood differently across the EU. There are two points of view  - a wider concept and a narrower concept. From narrower concept perspective sex education is only preparation for sexual life. Family education is superior to preparation for sex life. The current understanding tends to be rather wider as it is more coherent and complex than the narrower concept. In the wider view, the sex education is superior to family education. It is viewed not only as preparation for sexual life of individuals, but also covers the topic of interpersonal and family relationships. It teaches young people sexual responsibility. But it also takes into account the psychological and psychosexual problems arising from each partner relationship. So from its nature, it is superior to family education.

 

Method

The objectives and research questions necessitate qualitative methodology. The principal method of data collection is deep semi-structured interviews with parents who have at least one child aged 10-15. Additional method of data collection is observation in the family. The family selection criteria were: complete family, at least 3 members. The population varies as to domicile address, education of parents, number of children, religion of parents. The interviews are individual. The population has 12 respondents (mother, father separatly. The interviews are recorded, transcribed and analyzed and open-coded using ATLAS.ti analytical software.

Expected Outcomes

The research is in the stage of analysis of data from semi-structured interviews. The preliminary research findings suggest that contemporary parents view sex education as an area very hard to define and address. Parents themselves see their role in it especially in connection with prevention of veneral diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Most respondents are not aware of potential unintended transfer of the model of partner life from parents to children. It is largely mothers who are active in the specific area of sex education. Parents who have both a daughter and a son focus on their daughters rather than their sons, in an attempt to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

References

BENOKRAITIS, N. V. (2002) Marriages and families: changes, choices, and constraints. New Jersey: Prentice – Hall, 570 p. ISBN 9780131305168 Bostrom, A.K. (2003) Lifelong learning, intergenerational learning and social capital – from theory to practise. [online]. Stockholm: Institute of International Education. Available at: http://www.interped.su.se/publications/BostromNo.61.pdf [Last accessed 24.11-2011] HAGESTAD, G., HERLOFSON, K. (2006) Micro and macro perspectives on intergeneratinal relations and transfers in Europe. [online]. Available at: Dostupné z: http://www.un.org/esa/population/meetings/Proceedings_EGM_Mex_2005/hagestad.pdf [Last accessed 18.1-2012] HANKS, R.S., PONZETTI, J. J. (2004) Family Studies and Intergenerational Studies. [online]. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J194v02n03_02 [Last accessed 18.1-2012] Juping, Yu (2010) Sex education beyond school: implications for practice and research. [online] Sex Education, 13p. Available at: http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=6&hid=109&sid=40ea5f52-4553-42b9-80de-80de58ed4c8a%40sessionmgr110 [Last accessed 18.1-2012] SMITH,K.M., FREEMAN, P. A., ZABRISKIE, R. B. (2009) An Examination of Family Communication Within the Core and Balance Model of Faminly Leisure Functioning. Family Relations. TAHERA, A. et al. (2005) Intergenerational learning between children and grandparents. [online]. Available at: http://ecr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/5/3/219 [Last accessed 24.1-2012] Turnbull, Triece ; van Wersch, Anna ; van Schaik, Paul (2011) Parents as Educators of Sex and Relationship Education: The Role for Effective Communication in British Families. [online] Health Education Journal, 9 pp. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0017896911398817 [Last accessed 18.1-2012] William, A., Nusbaum, J. (2001) Intergenerational communication across the life span. NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 360 p. ISBN 978-0-8058-2249-6

Author Information

Lenka Kamanová (presenting / submitting)
Masaryk university
Education Science
Brno

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