The Effects of Sex Education on the Primary Schoolers&apos; Knowledge and Attitude about Sex
Authors: Kim Jin Son 
Published: September 2023

The confusion of the sense of value on sex is increasing because of the rapid change in social-cultural environment. Also due to a rise in the standard of living, the age of adolescence is getting lower, and so the second sexual marks appear to primary schoolers. At this time in the aspect of the education for the whole man, it's very important for primary schoolers to acquire right knowledge and desirable attitude on sex so that can overcome psychological instability caused by physical growth, be responsible for their behaviors and lead happy lives. This study was made to find out the effects of sex education for the primary schoolers' knowledge and attitude about sex. The study was designed as simulated control group pretest-posttest design, which only pretest was practiced to control group and after sex education only posttest was practiced to experimental group. The data was collected for 18 days from March 13, 1995 to March 31, 1995. The subjects of this study were 130 six-graders in a private primary school in seoul. The control group and experimental group were composed of 65 pupils, each. Sex education consisted of lecture and discussion and the materials were this researcher's own made, 'How do I grow? and related OHP film and video. This education was practiced 40 minutes at a time, at intervals of 2-4 days' six times during 3weeks. For sex knowledge tools, 20 item questionaries on the base of related reference books and contents of this study were used. For sex attitude tools, this researcher's own made 13 item questionaries were used which were revised and complemented and laying stress on the reference books. The data was analyzed through pc-SAS program. The homogeneity test in terms of the general characteristics of experimental and control group was analyzed through x2-test and t-test. And the difference in the primary schoolers' score on knowledge and attitude about sex before and after the sex education was analyzed through t-test and ANCOVA.The results of this study are as follows : 1. The result of the homogeneity test in terms of the general characteristics of the experimental and control group showed that there were significant differences in economic standard(x2=2.92, P=0.052) and brotherly ties(x2=3.78, P=0.052).2. Hypothesis 'After sex education, the score of primary schoolers' sex knowledge will be higher than before. 'showed statistically significant difference.(t=11.99, P=.0001) Sex education was practiced under control over subjective view of economic standard and brotherly ties which showed significant difference at the homogeneity test in terms of the general characteristics between the two groups. After this education, the results of comparing the score of primary schoolers' sex knowledge also showed significant difference between the two groups. So hypothesis I was supported since primary schoolers to have education showed noticeable results in the sex knowledge score. (F=16.52, P=.0001) 3. Hypothesis 'After sex education, primary schooler's sex attitude score will be higher than before' showed statistically significant(t=5.08, P=.0001) Sex education was practiced, too, under control over subjective view of economic standard and brotherly ties which showed significant difference at the homogeneity test in terms of the general characteristics between the two groups. Bat this time the results of comparing the primary schoolers' sex attitude showed no significant difference between the two groups. So hypothesis II was rejected since for primary schoolers to have sex education showed no noticeable results in sex attitude score. (F=3.52, P=.0628) These results of the study show that sex education gives affirmative change to the primary schooler's sex knowledge, bat short periods' sex education doesn't give any change to the sex attitude. For the establishment of the pupils' desirable sex attitude, systematic and concrete sex education fit for the pupils' developing stage should be practiced over a long period of time.