Qualitative Study of Primary School Students' Learning through Sexuality and Relationships Education Programs under the Collaboration of Midwives, School Nurse and School Teachers in Japan

Background: In recent years, primary schools have provided collaborative Sexuality and Relationships Education in cooperation with external providers such as health professionals. However, there has been little literature about primary school students’ learning through the collaborative Sexuality and Relationships Education Programs, especially from the point of view of children. The purpose of this study was to explore the learning of the fourth graders in primary school who have been taught Sexuality and Relationships Education under the cooperation of midwives, the school nurse and school teachers. Methods: After providing the collaborative Sexuality and Relationships Education Programs to students, open-ended questionnaires were distributed. Inductive qualitative content analysis was undertaken for examining students' description. Results: Nine sub-categories, four categories, and two themes were identified. Fourth grade students understood physical, emotional, and social changes associated with puberty from the viewpoint of “Fundamental aspects of growth and development, and diversity”, and “Development of reproductive functions”. In addition, students comprehended the life from the point of view of “Conception, pregnancy, and childbirth”, and “The importance of relationships and life”. Conclusion: Through experiences of taking the collaborative Sexuality and Relationships Education Programs, the fourth graders in primary school developed: an understanding of health and development of puberty and of importance of respecting and thinking of others. The growth and development related to the mechanisms behind reproductive physiology during puberty need to be prospectively provided with evidence considering students’ needs and developmental stages. Furthermore, the evidence cannot just be simply stated; it is necessary to associate it with students’ life experiences and relationships with others, and for classes to be provided in various methods to encourage creative thinking.