Aim:  The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of sexual assertiveness training program on sexual awareness & sexual assertiveness among adolescents attending selected schools in Madurai. 

Background of the study:  Adolescence is a period of transition between childhood and adulthood. Some adolescents react to this with excitement and some others experience shame, anxiety and guilt which lead to many sex related issues.  Equipping them with adequate sexual information give them confidence and help them to know how to act in sexual difficult situations.  Nurses play a pivotal role in creating sexual awareness & improving sexual assertiveness in adolescents.

Methodology: Quasi experimental non equivalent pre test, post test and control group design was used for the study .The setting of the study was selected using simple random sampling technique. A total of 250 school going adolescents were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of which 125 were in experimental group and control group each.  Tools used were questionnaire on sexual awareness, 5 point likert scale on sexual assertiveness and situational questionnaire on sexual assertiveness.  The sexual assertiveness training programme was administered over 2 hours in a week for 5 consecutive weeks.  Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The sexual awareness training programme was effective in improving school going adolescents sexual awareness (pre& post test comparison t = 7.157 , P < 0.001, Post tests comparison t = 3.286, P < 0.001) sexual assertiveness (pre & post test comparison t = 13.397, P < 0.001, Post tests comparison t = 6.749, P < 0.001)  sexual assertiveness according to situational questions (Pre test comparison t = 8.839, P < 0.001, Post test comparison t = 5.38, P < 0.001).  There was a significant positive relationship found between sexual awareness and assertiveness (r = 0.41).

Conclusion:  Sexual awareness and sexual assertiveness of school going adolescents were not adequate to protect themselves. The sexual assertiveness training programme was effective in improving sexual awareness and assertiveness among school going adolescents. 

 

Keywords:  Adolescents, Sexual Assertiveness, Sexual Awareness