AEGiS-08IAC: The effects of a sexuality/AIDS/STD educational program on selected attitudes of Canadian grade 9 students: first phase of a three-year study.

8th International AIDS Conference

Amsterdam, Netherlands — July 19-24, 1992

The effects of a sexuality/AIDS/STD educational program on selected attitudes of Canadian grade 9 students: first phase of a three-year study.

Int Conf AIDS 1992 Jul 19-24; 8:We58 (abstract no. WeD 1069)
Beazley R, Warren WK, King AJ; Dalhousie University, Halifax.

BACKGROUND: A three year program development and evaluation project is being conducted, sponsored by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada and funded by National Health Research and Development Program, Health and Welfare Canada. Its purpose is to assess the effects on students of a 20 hour program which is based on a behavioural change model emphasizing skill development, responsible attitudes and motivational supports.

OBJECTIVE: The focus of this presentation is on the objective: program participants will demonstrate significant changes in attitudes related to healthy sexuality, parental relationships, peer support, homosexuality and students living with HIV/AIDS.

METHODS: The evaluation utilizes a quasi-experimental, time-series design with a pre-test and three similar post-tests administered to approximately 2,000 students in the demonstration group in four provinces and 2,000 students in the comparison group in the same provinces. Grade 9 classes in selected school jurisdictions which were comparable on SES, size and location are taking part in the study. Interviews were conducted with students, teachers, administrators and parents. Paired t-tests were used to examine differences on pre- and post-test Likert item responses of the two groups.

RESULTS: Significant changes were found for the demonstration group on a 16 item healthy sexuality scale (p = less than .05) and an 11 item peer support scale (p = less than .05). The differences were not significant on the 10 item parent relationship scale. Comparison group data showed no significance on the three scales. Differences between the pre- and post-test responses to "Homosexuality is wrong" and "Students with HIV/AIDS should be allowed to attend regular school classes." were significant (p = less than .05) for the demonstration but not for the comparison group. Feedback from stakeholders about the program was very positive.

CONCLUSIONS: The first phase results of this study suggest that a curriculum for young adolescents with an emphasis on the development of skills, responsible attitudes and motivational supports will help them maintain health-wise attitudes and develop positive behavioural intentions. The results of the second and third post-tests will reveal the extent to which it will influence at-risk behaviours and whether the effect on attitudes and behavioural intentions lasts over time.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Students, Attitude, Sexuality, Health Education, Curriculum, Risk-Taking, Program Evaluation, Sex Education, Homosexuality, Attitude to Health, Schools, Models, Educational, Universities, North America, Canada, Adolescence, education, ICA8
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