Parental views on sexual education: What topics are discussed and how do sociodemographic factors affect sexual education (Distance Learning Project - Unfunded)

Parents, including all biological and non-biological legal carers of children aged 0-18, have a critical role to play in children’s sexual development and education. They can provide guidance with respect to sexuality and in learning to distinguish acceptable and transgressive sexual behaviour, respecting the boundaries of others and indicating children’s own wishes and boundaries. This makes children more resilient to sexually transgressive experiences and behaviours. A recent systematic review about the parental view on sexual education has shown that most studies focus on sexual education in response to difficulties or non-normative situations, for example in the case of sexual abuse or sexual education needs for parents of LGBTQ children or children with intellectual disabilities. Also, studies on sexual education seem to mainly focus on puberty and reproduction.

In this distance-learning PhD the student will work with Health Psychologists to better understand sexual education from a parental perspective, focusing on sexual education in the broadest sense (also including for example sense of own body among younger children) among parents of all types of children. The project consist of analysing data of an online cross-sectional survey among parents in the Netherlands (data collection starts June 2020), including (Dutch) qualitative data and quantitative data. The student will conduct a survey in their home country to assess parental views and needs regarding sexual education.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
This project is advertised in relation to the research areas of APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCE. Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php. You should apply for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Health Science (Distance Learning), to ensure that your application is passed to the correct person for processing.

NOTE CLEARLY THE NAME OF THE SUPERVISOR AND EXACT PROJECT TITLE ON THE APPLICATION FORM.