Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?

Tristin Agtarap; Lora Adair; David Schmitt

doi:10.1007/s13178-024-01061-9

Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?

Tristin Agtarap, Lora Adair, David Schmitt

Department of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Introduction: Sexual health programs have been found to facilitate improved physical and social well-being, yet the role that individual differences play in shaping program outcomes is under-explored. This study addresses how mindset variation in adherence to social norms influences experiences in a sexual health program. Methods: Between June 2022 and January 2023, participants (UK residents; N = 125, age 22.09 (SD = 2.10)) engaged in a pretest–posttest design with a gamified sexual health training program. Variables (i.e., mindset, STI-related stigma/shame, sexual self-efficacy, comfort, sex guilt) were measured at three time points (Time 1 (T1): 1-week pre-training (N = 125); Time 2 (T2): immediate post-training (N = 98); and Time 3 (T3): 1-week post-training (N = 87)). Multilevel modeling was used, predicting that changes after engagement with the program will be more true for “looser” rather than “tighter” mindsets. Results: Participation in the program appeared to reduce STI-related shame significantly (T2: b = − 0.31; T3: b = − 0.39) and increased sexual self-efficacy (T2: b = 0.24; T3: b = 0.16) and comfort (T2: b = 0.18; T3: b = 0.14). Modest reductions in STI-related stigma occurred (T2: b = − 0.06; T3: b = − 0.06), but not in sex-related guilt (T2: b = − 0.02; T3: b < 0.01). Main effects revealed that looser mindsets were associated with greater comfort (b = − 0.26), while tighter mindsets showed marginal associations with higher sexual self-efficacy (b = 0.24) and sex guilt (b = 0.15). Interaction effects revealed that mindset differences influenced the variable of comfort, with tighter mindsets showing larger increases post-training (T2: b = 0.22; T3: b = 0.20). Conclusions: (1) online sexuality education programming was effective at producing changes in some, but not all, measured sexual health outcomes, and (2) mindset is relevant to sexual health. Policy Implications: This work suggests that the tightness-looseness framework can guide person-centered approaches, enhancing effectiveness and responsiveness in sexual health training curricula.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1481-1500
Journal	Sexuality Research and Social Policy
Volume	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-024-01061-9
Publication status	Published - 27 Nov 2024

Data Availability Statement

Data is available via https://github.com/tagtarap/MindsetXSexualHealth. The HEART program belongs to Dr. Widman and colleagues with the Teen Health Lab at North Carolina State University; all inquiries to use said program must be directed to Dr. Laura Widman at [email protected].

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Laura Widman and all lab members within the Teen Health Lab at North Carolina State University. Dr. Widman and colleagues are credited for designing, developing, and launching the Health Education and Relationship Training (HEART) program used as the training component of this study. We appreciate their dedication to this field and their willingness to collaborate and share their program with fellow researchers.

Funding

This research was funded via the corresponding author’s research funds allocated by their institution. No grants or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Gamified sexual health program
Individual differences
Mindset
Sex education
Sexual health outcomes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Gender Studies
Health(social science)
Sociology and Political Science

Access to Document

10.1007/s13178-024-01061-9

https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/30267

Cite this

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title = "Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?",

abstract = "Introduction: Sexual health programs have been found to facilitate improved physical and social well-being, yet the role that individual differences play in shaping program outcomes is under-explored. This study addresses how mindset variation in adherence to social norms influences experiences in a sexual health program. Methods: Between June 2022 and January 2023, participants (UK residents; N = 125, age 22.09 (SD = 2.10)) engaged in a pretest–posttest design with a gamified sexual health training program. Variables (i.e., mindset, STI-related stigma/shame, sexual self-efficacy, comfort, sex guilt) were measured at three time points (Time 1 (T1): 1-week pre-training (N = 125); Time 2 (T2): immediate post-training (N = 98); and Time 3 (T3): 1-week post-training (N = 87)). Multilevel modeling was used, predicting that changes after engagement with the program will be more true for “looser” rather than “tighter” mindsets. Results: Participation in the program appeared to reduce STI-related shame significantly (T2: b = − 0.31; T3: b = − 0.39) and increased sexual self-efficacy (T2: b = 0.24; T3: b = 0.16) and comfort (T2: b = 0.18; T3: b = 0.14). Modest reductions in STI-related stigma occurred (T2: b = − 0.06; T3: b = − 0.06), but not in sex-related guilt (T2: b = − 0.02; T3: b < 0.01). Main effects revealed that looser mindsets were associated with greater comfort (b = − 0.26), while tighter mindsets showed marginal associations with higher sexual self-efficacy (b = 0.24) and sex guilt (b = 0.15). Interaction effects revealed that mindset differences influenced the variable of comfort, with tighter mindsets showing larger increases post-training (T2: b = 0.22; T3: b = 0.20). Conclusions: (1) online sexuality education programming was effective at producing changes in some, but not all, measured sexual health outcomes, and (2) mindset is relevant to sexual health. Policy Implications: This work suggests that the tightness-looseness framework can guide person-centered approaches, enhancing effectiveness and responsiveness in sexual health training curricula.",

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N2 - Introduction: Sexual health programs have been found to facilitate improved physical and social well-being, yet the role that individual differences play in shaping program outcomes is under-explored. This study addresses how mindset variation in adherence to social norms influences experiences in a sexual health program. Methods: Between June 2022 and January 2023, participants (UK residents; N = 125, age 22.09 (SD = 2.10)) engaged in a pretest–posttest design with a gamified sexual health training program. Variables (i.e., mindset, STI-related stigma/shame, sexual self-efficacy, comfort, sex guilt) were measured at three time points (Time 1 (T1): 1-week pre-training (N = 125); Time 2 (T2): immediate post-training (N = 98); and Time 3 (T3): 1-week post-training (N = 87)). Multilevel modeling was used, predicting that changes after engagement with the program will be more true for “looser” rather than “tighter” mindsets. Results: Participation in the program appeared to reduce STI-related shame significantly (T2: b = − 0.31; T3: b = − 0.39) and increased sexual self-efficacy (T2: b = 0.24; T3: b = 0.16) and comfort (T2: b = 0.18; T3: b = 0.14). Modest reductions in STI-related stigma occurred (T2: b = − 0.06; T3: b = − 0.06), but not in sex-related guilt (T2: b = − 0.02; T3: b < 0.01). Main effects revealed that looser mindsets were associated with greater comfort (b = − 0.26), while tighter mindsets showed marginal associations with higher sexual self-efficacy (b = 0.24) and sex guilt (b = 0.15). Interaction effects revealed that mindset differences influenced the variable of comfort, with tighter mindsets showing larger increases post-training (T2: b = 0.22; T3: b = 0.20). Conclusions: (1) online sexuality education programming was effective at producing changes in some, but not all, measured sexual health outcomes, and (2) mindset is relevant to sexual health. Policy Implications: This work suggests that the tightness-looseness framework can guide person-centered approaches, enhancing effectiveness and responsiveness in sexual health training curricula.

AB - Introduction: Sexual health programs have been found to facilitate improved physical and social well-being, yet the role that individual differences play in shaping program outcomes is under-explored. This study addresses how mindset variation in adherence to social norms influences experiences in a sexual health program. Methods: Between June 2022 and January 2023, participants (UK residents; N = 125, age 22.09 (SD = 2.10)) engaged in a pretest–posttest design with a gamified sexual health training program. Variables (i.e., mindset, STI-related stigma/shame, sexual self-efficacy, comfort, sex guilt) were measured at three time points (Time 1 (T1): 1-week pre-training (N = 125); Time 2 (T2): immediate post-training (N = 98); and Time 3 (T3): 1-week post-training (N = 87)). Multilevel modeling was used, predicting that changes after engagement with the program will be more true for “looser” rather than “tighter” mindsets. Results: Participation in the program appeared to reduce STI-related shame significantly (T2: b = − 0.31; T3: b = − 0.39) and increased sexual self-efficacy (T2: b = 0.24; T3: b = 0.16) and comfort (T2: b = 0.18; T3: b = 0.14). Modest reductions in STI-related stigma occurred (T2: b = − 0.06; T3: b = − 0.06), but not in sex-related guilt (T2: b = − 0.02; T3: b < 0.01). Main effects revealed that looser mindsets were associated with greater comfort (b = − 0.26), while tighter mindsets showed marginal associations with higher sexual self-efficacy (b = 0.24) and sex guilt (b = 0.15). Interaction effects revealed that mindset differences influenced the variable of comfort, with tighter mindsets showing larger increases post-training (T2: b = 0.22; T3: b = 0.20). Conclusions: (1) online sexuality education programming was effective at producing changes in some, but not all, measured sexual health outcomes, and (2) mindset is relevant to sexual health. Policy Implications: This work suggests that the tightness-looseness framework can guide person-centered approaches, enhancing effectiveness and responsiveness in sexual health training curricula.

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KW - Individual differences

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Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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