A comprehensive sexuality education attempt with Turkish university students: Examining changes and challenges in knowledge, attitudes and myths about sexuality
Yıl 2026,
Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1, 34 - 46, 31.01.2026
Büşra Başar
,
Ayşegül Aracı İyiyaydın
Öz
This study examined the effectiveness of a six-week sexuality education program in enhancing university students’ sexual knowledge, reducing belief in sexual myths, and improving sexual attitudes. In this quasi-experimental, single-blind, pre-test–post-test control group design research, participants were assigned to either the experimental or control group, and data were collected before and after the intervention. The training was developed based on evidence-based principles of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and delivered in an online, interactive format. Findings indicated no statistically significant differences between or within groups on any of the outcome variables. Despite the program’s alignment with established educational frameworks, the lack of significant effects suggests that additional contextual factors—such as participant engagement, cultural relevance, and mode of delivery—may have influenced the results. These findings point to the complex nature of sexuality education implementation and highlight the need for sustainable, participatory, and culturally sensitive approaches. Future research is recommended to refine assessment tools, increase sample size, and explore mixed-methods designs to capture nuanced outcomes better.
Etik Beyan
This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards and approved by the TED University Human Research Ethics Committee on May 24, 2021. All procedures performed involving human participants adhered to the guidelines and regulations of the committee and relevant ethical standards.
Destekleyen Kurum
TED University
Proje Numarası
TEDÜ-LAD: T-21-B2021-90076
Teşekkür
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Çişil Akdemir and Damla Ayvaz for their invaluable contributions to this project. Their dedication, meticulous attention to detail, and insightful perspectives greatly enriched the research process and the final manuscript. We also extend our sincere thanks to TED University for providing the Undergraduate Research Fund, which made this project possible. The financial support was instrumental in facilitating the research and achieving our objectives.
Kaynakça
-
Abma, J. C., & Martinez, G. M. (2017). Sexual activity and contraceptive use among teenagers in the USA, 2011-2015. National Health Statistics Reports, 104, 1–23.
-
American College Health Association. (2016). American College Health Association national college health assessment II: Reference group executive summary, spring 2015.
-
Aker, S., & Sahin, M., & Oğuz, G. (2019). Sexual myth beliefs and associated factors in university students. Turkish Journal of Family Medicine & Primary Care. 13(4). 472-480.
-
Alexander, K. A., Jemmott, L. S., Teitelman, A. M., & D'Antonio, P. (2015). Addressing sexual health behaviour during emerging adulthood: A critical review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(1-2), 4–18.
-
Apay, E. S., Nagórska, M., Balci, R., Sis, A., & Binkowska-Bury, M. (2013). Student comparison of Sexual Myths: Two-Country Case. Sexuality and Disability, 31, 249-263.
-
Apay, E. S., Özorhan, E. Y., Arslan, S., Özkan, H., Koc, E., & Özbey, I. (2015). The sexual beliefs of Turkish men: Comparing the beliefs of men with and without erectile dysfunction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 41(6), 661–671.
-
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480.
-
Arnett, J. J., Žukauskienė, R., & Sugimura, K. (2014). The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18-29 years: Implications for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 1(7), 569–576.
-
Aydın, D. (2012). Married health care women workers’ beliefs in sexual myths and sexual functioning disorders. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Haliç University].
-
Balter, A. S., van Rhijn, T. M., & Davies, A. W. J. (2016). The development of sexuality in childhood in early learning settings: An exploration of early childhood educators’ perceptions. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 25(1), 30–40.
-
Boti, N., Hussen, S., Shegaze, M., Shibru, S., Shibiru, T., Zerihun, E., ... & Temtime, Z. (2019). Effects of comprehensive sexuality education on the comprehensive knowledge and attitude to condom use among first-year students in Arba Minch University: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Res Notes, 12, 1–7.
-
Bozkurt, S. (2016). Analyzing the state of the individuals’ belief in sexual myths and their sexual knowledge level. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Üsküdar University].
-
Dailey, D. M. (2017). Sexual expression and aging. Quarterly Journal of the Life Planning Network, 4(4), 34–52.
-
Diker, G. (2017). Belief in sexual myths, sexual knowledge and self-esteem in female sexual dsyfunction. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Işık University].
-
Evcili, F., & Golbasi, Z. (2017). Sexual myths and sexual health knowledge levels of Turkish university students. Sexuality & Culture: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, 21(4), 976–990.
-
Gravetter, F., & Wallnau, L. (2009). Statistics for the behavioral sciences. Cengage Learning.
-
Haberland, N., & Rogow, D. (2015). Sexuality education: Emerging trends in evidence and practice. The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 56(1), 15–21.
-
Hendrick, C., Hendrick, S. S., & Reich, D. A. (2006). The brief sexual attitudes scale. Journal of sex research, 43(1), 76–86.
-
Jaderek, I., & Lew-Starowicz, M. (2019). A systematic review on mindfulness meditation-based ınterventions for sexual dysfunctions. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 16(10), 1581–1596.
-
Karaçam, Ö., Totan, T., Korkmaz Y. B, & Koyuncu, M. (2012). Turkish adaptation of the Hendrick Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, validity and reliability study. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 13(2), 138-144.
-
Kirby, D. (2008). The impact of comprehensive sex education on adolescent sexual behavior. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 5(3), 18–27.
-
Krahé, B., Tomaszewska, P., & Schuster, I. (2022). Links of perceived pornography realism with sexual aggression via sexual scripts, sexual behavior, and acceptance of sexual coercion: A study with German university students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 63.
-
Kukulu K., Gürsoy E., & Sözer G.A. (2009). Turkish university students’ beliefs in sexual myths. Sex Disability, 27(1), 49-59.
-
Leiblum, S., Wiegel, M., & Brickle, F. (2003). Sexual attitudes of US and Canadian medical students: The role of ethnicity, gender, religion and acculturation. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18(4), 473–491.
-
Lonsway, K. A., & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1994). Rape myths: In review. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18(2), 133–164.
-
Martin, J., Evans, K., & Wood, G. (2020). The limitations of online education: A comparative study of face-to-face and virtual delivery. Educational Research Review, 31, Article 100361.
-
Meier, A., & Allen, G. (2008). Intimate relationship development during the transition to adulthood: Differences by social class. In J. T. Mortimer (Ed.), Social class and transitions to adulthood: New directions for child and adolescent development, (pp. 25–39). Jossey-Bass.
-
Miedema, E., Le Mat, M., & Agha, S. (2020a). Addressing social and cultural norms in sexuality education: Evidence from global programs. Global Health Action, 13(1), Article 1794103.
-
Miedema, E., Le Mat, M. L. J., & Hague, F. (2020b). But is it comprehensive? Unpacking the ‘comprehensive’ in comprehensive sexuality education. Health Education Journal, 79(7). https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920915960
-
Mosher, W. D., Chandra, A., & Jones, J. (2005). Sexual behavior and selected health measures: men and women 15-44 years of age, USA, 2002. Advance Data, (362), 1–55.
-
Mosher, D. L. (1979). Sex guilt and sex myths in college men and women. The Journal of Sex Research, 15(3), 224–234.
-
Nobre, P. J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Gomes, F. A. (2003). Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs questionnaire: An instrument to assess sexual dysfunctional beliefs as vulnerability factors to sexual problems. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18, 171–204.
-
Özdemir, B. N. K, & Buran, A. (2023). Investigation of the relationship between adult individuals’ level of belief in sexual myths, sexual attitudes and self-respect. International Journal of Social and Humanities Sciences Research, 10(96). 1282-1291.
-
Pınar, G. (2008). The effectiveness of the sexual health and reproduction health education program for university youth. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Hacettepe University].
-
Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the classroom: Teacher expectation and pupils' intellectual development. Holt, Rinehart & Winston
-
Schindele, A. C., Källberg, H., Josefsson, K. A., & Lindroth, M. (2023). Perceived knowledge gained from school-based sexuality education–results from a national population-based survey among young people in Sweden. Sexual Health. https://doi.org/10.1071/sh23093
-
Seymenler, S. (2017). Investigating infertility knowledge and attitudes of university students. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Dokuz Eylül University].
-
Siyez, D., Öztürk, B., Esen, E., & Kağnıcı, Y. (2018). Sexual health education programs for university students: A systematic review. MAKÜ Journal of Faculty of Education, 46, 344-362.
-
Tanner, J. L., Arnett, J. J., & Leis, J. A. (2009). Emerging adulthood: Learning and development during the first stage of adulthood. In M. C. Smith & N. DeFrates-Densch (Eds.), Handbook of research on adult learning and development (pp. 34–67). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
-
Tanton, C., Jones, K. G., Macdowall, W., Clifton, S., Mitchell, K., Datta, J., Lewis, R., Field, N., Sonnenberg, P., Stevens, A., Wellings, K., Johnson, A., & Mercer, C. (2015). Patterns and trends in sources of information about sex among young people in Britain: Evidence from three national surveys of sexual attitudes and lifestyles. BMJ open, 5(3).
-
Torun, F., Torun S. D., & Özaydın A. N. (2011). Men’s belief in sexual myths and factors effecting these myths. Düşünen Adam Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 24(1), 24-31.
-
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: An evidence-informed approach (Rev. ed. UNESCO.
-
United Nations Population Fund. (2015). Evaluation of comprehensive sexuality education programs. UNFPA.
-
Vural, K., & Temel, A. (2010). Analysis of some factors in predicting sexual satisfaction. Journal of Anatolian Nursing and Health Sciences, 13(1) 24-34.
-
Zeren, F., & Gürsoy, E. (2018). Why sexual education? Journal of Düzce University Health Sciences Institute, 8(1), 29-33.
-
Zilbergeld, B. (1999). The new male sexuality (Rev. ed.). Batam Books.
-
Ziya, A. Z. (2015). The relationship between sexual myths, the level of sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes among university students. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Haliç University].
-
WHO Regional Office for Europe, & BZgA. (2010). Standards for sexuality education in Europe: A framework for policymakers, education and health authorities, and specialists. BZgA. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/70501/WHO_RHR_HRP_10.22_eng.pdf?sequence=1
Bir Cinsel Eğitim Girişimi: Türk Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Cinsellik Bilgisi, Tutumları ve Mitleri Üzerindeki Değişimlerin ve Zorlukların İncelenmesi
Yıl 2026,
Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1, 34 - 46, 31.01.2026
Büşra Başar
,
Ayşegül Aracı İyiyaydın
Öz
Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencilerine yönelik altı haftalık bir cinsellik farkındalığı temelli eğitimin, öğrencilerin cinsellik bilgisi, cinsel mitlere inanma düzeyleri ve cinselliğe yönelik tutumları üzerindeki etkisini incelemektedir. Yarı deneysel, tek kör, ön test-son test kontrol gruplu desenle yürütülen araştırmada, katılımcılar deney ve kontrol gruplarına ayrılmış; veriler nicel ölçme araçlarıyla toplanmıştır. Eğitim programı, Kanıta Dayalı Kapsamlı Cinsellik Eğitimi (KCE) ilkelerine dayanarak geliştirilmiş ve çevrim içi ortamda uzmanlar tarafından yürütülmüştür. Analizler, deney ve kontrol grupları arasında ya da deney grubu içinde anlamlı bir değişim olmadığını göstermektedir. Programın yerleşik eğitim çerçeveleriyle uyumlu olmasına rağmen, katılımın gönüllülük esasına dayanması, düşük devam oranı, çevrim içi etkileşim kısıtlılığı ve örneklem büyüklüğünün sınırlı oluşu gibi etkenler, programın etkisini sınırlamış olabilir. Bulgular, cinsellik eğitimi programlarının yalnızca içeriksel doğruluğuyla değil, aynı zamanda katılımcıların kültürel bağlamı, etkileşim düzeyi ve uygulama biçimiyle de desteklenmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma, üniversite ortamında sürdürülebilir, etkileşimli ve bağlamsal olarak duyarlı cinsellik eğitimlerine duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamakta; gelecekteki araştırmalar için değerlendirme araçlarını iyileştirmesi, örneklem büyüklüğünü artırması ve nüanslı sonuçları daha iyi yakalamak için karma yöntem tasarımlarını keşfetmesi önerilmektedir.
Proje Numarası
TEDÜ-LAD: T-21-B2021-90076
Kaynakça
-
Abma, J. C., & Martinez, G. M. (2017). Sexual activity and contraceptive use among teenagers in the USA, 2011-2015. National Health Statistics Reports, 104, 1–23.
-
American College Health Association. (2016). American College Health Association national college health assessment II: Reference group executive summary, spring 2015.
-
Aker, S., & Sahin, M., & Oğuz, G. (2019). Sexual myth beliefs and associated factors in university students. Turkish Journal of Family Medicine & Primary Care. 13(4). 472-480.
-
Alexander, K. A., Jemmott, L. S., Teitelman, A. M., & D'Antonio, P. (2015). Addressing sexual health behaviour during emerging adulthood: A critical review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(1-2), 4–18.
-
Apay, E. S., Nagórska, M., Balci, R., Sis, A., & Binkowska-Bury, M. (2013). Student comparison of Sexual Myths: Two-Country Case. Sexuality and Disability, 31, 249-263.
-
Apay, E. S., Özorhan, E. Y., Arslan, S., Özkan, H., Koc, E., & Özbey, I. (2015). The sexual beliefs of Turkish men: Comparing the beliefs of men with and without erectile dysfunction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 41(6), 661–671.
-
Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480.
-
Arnett, J. J., Žukauskienė, R., & Sugimura, K. (2014). The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18-29 years: Implications for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 1(7), 569–576.
-
Aydın, D. (2012). Married health care women workers’ beliefs in sexual myths and sexual functioning disorders. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Haliç University].
-
Balter, A. S., van Rhijn, T. M., & Davies, A. W. J. (2016). The development of sexuality in childhood in early learning settings: An exploration of early childhood educators’ perceptions. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 25(1), 30–40.
-
Boti, N., Hussen, S., Shegaze, M., Shibru, S., Shibiru, T., Zerihun, E., ... & Temtime, Z. (2019). Effects of comprehensive sexuality education on the comprehensive knowledge and attitude to condom use among first-year students in Arba Minch University: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Res Notes, 12, 1–7.
-
Bozkurt, S. (2016). Analyzing the state of the individuals’ belief in sexual myths and their sexual knowledge level. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Üsküdar University].
-
Dailey, D. M. (2017). Sexual expression and aging. Quarterly Journal of the Life Planning Network, 4(4), 34–52.
-
Diker, G. (2017). Belief in sexual myths, sexual knowledge and self-esteem in female sexual dsyfunction. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Işık University].
-
Evcili, F., & Golbasi, Z. (2017). Sexual myths and sexual health knowledge levels of Turkish university students. Sexuality & Culture: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, 21(4), 976–990.
-
Gravetter, F., & Wallnau, L. (2009). Statistics for the behavioral sciences. Cengage Learning.
-
Haberland, N., & Rogow, D. (2015). Sexuality education: Emerging trends in evidence and practice. The Journal of Adolescent Health: Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 56(1), 15–21.
-
Hendrick, C., Hendrick, S. S., & Reich, D. A. (2006). The brief sexual attitudes scale. Journal of sex research, 43(1), 76–86.
-
Jaderek, I., & Lew-Starowicz, M. (2019). A systematic review on mindfulness meditation-based ınterventions for sexual dysfunctions. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 16(10), 1581–1596.
-
Karaçam, Ö., Totan, T., Korkmaz Y. B, & Koyuncu, M. (2012). Turkish adaptation of the Hendrick Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale, validity and reliability study. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry, 13(2), 138-144.
-
Kirby, D. (2008). The impact of comprehensive sex education on adolescent sexual behavior. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 5(3), 18–27.
-
Krahé, B., Tomaszewska, P., & Schuster, I. (2022). Links of perceived pornography realism with sexual aggression via sexual scripts, sexual behavior, and acceptance of sexual coercion: A study with German university students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 63.
-
Kukulu K., Gürsoy E., & Sözer G.A. (2009). Turkish university students’ beliefs in sexual myths. Sex Disability, 27(1), 49-59.
-
Leiblum, S., Wiegel, M., & Brickle, F. (2003). Sexual attitudes of US and Canadian medical students: The role of ethnicity, gender, religion and acculturation. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18(4), 473–491.
-
Lonsway, K. A., & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1994). Rape myths: In review. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18(2), 133–164.
-
Martin, J., Evans, K., & Wood, G. (2020). The limitations of online education: A comparative study of face-to-face and virtual delivery. Educational Research Review, 31, Article 100361.
-
Meier, A., & Allen, G. (2008). Intimate relationship development during the transition to adulthood: Differences by social class. In J. T. Mortimer (Ed.), Social class and transitions to adulthood: New directions for child and adolescent development, (pp. 25–39). Jossey-Bass.
-
Miedema, E., Le Mat, M., & Agha, S. (2020a). Addressing social and cultural norms in sexuality education: Evidence from global programs. Global Health Action, 13(1), Article 1794103.
-
Miedema, E., Le Mat, M. L. J., & Hague, F. (2020b). But is it comprehensive? Unpacking the ‘comprehensive’ in comprehensive sexuality education. Health Education Journal, 79(7). https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920915960
-
Mosher, W. D., Chandra, A., & Jones, J. (2005). Sexual behavior and selected health measures: men and women 15-44 years of age, USA, 2002. Advance Data, (362), 1–55.
-
Mosher, D. L. (1979). Sex guilt and sex myths in college men and women. The Journal of Sex Research, 15(3), 224–234.
-
Nobre, P. J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Gomes, F. A. (2003). Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs questionnaire: An instrument to assess sexual dysfunctional beliefs as vulnerability factors to sexual problems. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18, 171–204.
-
Özdemir, B. N. K, & Buran, A. (2023). Investigation of the relationship between adult individuals’ level of belief in sexual myths, sexual attitudes and self-respect. International Journal of Social and Humanities Sciences Research, 10(96). 1282-1291.
-
Pınar, G. (2008). The effectiveness of the sexual health and reproduction health education program for university youth. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Hacettepe University].
-
Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the classroom: Teacher expectation and pupils' intellectual development. Holt, Rinehart & Winston
-
Schindele, A. C., Källberg, H., Josefsson, K. A., & Lindroth, M. (2023). Perceived knowledge gained from school-based sexuality education–results from a national population-based survey among young people in Sweden. Sexual Health. https://doi.org/10.1071/sh23093
-
Seymenler, S. (2017). Investigating infertility knowledge and attitudes of university students. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Dokuz Eylül University].
-
Siyez, D., Öztürk, B., Esen, E., & Kağnıcı, Y. (2018). Sexual health education programs for university students: A systematic review. MAKÜ Journal of Faculty of Education, 46, 344-362.
-
Tanner, J. L., Arnett, J. J., & Leis, J. A. (2009). Emerging adulthood: Learning and development during the first stage of adulthood. In M. C. Smith & N. DeFrates-Densch (Eds.), Handbook of research on adult learning and development (pp. 34–67). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
-
Tanton, C., Jones, K. G., Macdowall, W., Clifton, S., Mitchell, K., Datta, J., Lewis, R., Field, N., Sonnenberg, P., Stevens, A., Wellings, K., Johnson, A., & Mercer, C. (2015). Patterns and trends in sources of information about sex among young people in Britain: Evidence from three national surveys of sexual attitudes and lifestyles. BMJ open, 5(3).
-
Torun, F., Torun S. D., & Özaydın A. N. (2011). Men’s belief in sexual myths and factors effecting these myths. Düşünen Adam Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 24(1), 24-31.
-
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: An evidence-informed approach (Rev. ed. UNESCO.
-
United Nations Population Fund. (2015). Evaluation of comprehensive sexuality education programs. UNFPA.
-
Vural, K., & Temel, A. (2010). Analysis of some factors in predicting sexual satisfaction. Journal of Anatolian Nursing and Health Sciences, 13(1) 24-34.
-
Zeren, F., & Gürsoy, E. (2018). Why sexual education? Journal of Düzce University Health Sciences Institute, 8(1), 29-33.
-
Zilbergeld, B. (1999). The new male sexuality (Rev. ed.). Batam Books.
-
Ziya, A. Z. (2015). The relationship between sexual myths, the level of sexual knowledge and sexual attitudes among university students. [Unpublished master’s thesis, Haliç University].
-
WHO Regional Office for Europe, & BZgA. (2010). Standards for sexuality education in Europe: A framework for policymakers, education and health authorities, and specialists. BZgA. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/70501/WHO_RHR_HRP_10.22_eng.pdf?sequence=1