Teachers’ Attitudes and Opinions Toward Sexuality Education in School: A Systematic Review of Secondary and High School Teachers

The paper presents the findings of a systematic literature review on teachers’ attitudes and opinions toward Sexuality Education (SE) that can be implemented with students aged 14 and older. Relevant articles were systematically searched in four scientific databases (ERIC, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection) and other sources (i.e., Google Scholar, references, and the University Library) between March and September 2023. The databases were searched for original articles published in six languages, utilizing the keywords “teachers,” “sexuality education,” “attitudes,” and “opinions.” Of the 2217 records recovered, 103 were included in the review. The studies were categorized into four emergent themes (and relative subthemes), using Reflexive Thematic Analysis: (1) Barriers and facilitators to SE; (2) programs’ aspects of SE; (3) SE curricula; (4) individual factors and SE. The review results provide evidence of teachers’ challenges in implementing SE programs, teachers’ opinions on SE, and the importance of including all educational figures in the SE programs. Future studies should invest in teacher education to enable them to explore their values and become more aware of how to conduct lessons and activities focused on SE. The implications of these findings for a deeper understanding of teachers’ perspectives on SE are discussed.