Comfortable but unprepared: Comprehensive sexuality education and perceptions of future educators in Italy

In Italy, the introduction of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in educational, school, and training contexts faces obstacles stemming from diverse personal and social positions (Bruno, 2024a, 2025a). CSE is defined as a lifelong learning process that begins in early childhood (WHO & BZgA, 2010; IPPF, 2017; UNESCO, 2018), and it can promote knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes (Goldfarb & Lieberman, 2021; Hawkins, 2024). This work aims to reflect on the competencies required to educate on sexualities and affectivity, as well as on the lack of specific training (Plan International, 2020a; Costello et al., 2022; Cabrera-Fajardo et al., 2024). The study involved 335 students enrolled in educational and training degree programs (L-19, LM-85, and LM-85bis) in Italy. The analysis of questionnaire responses highlights self-perceived specific training needs, comfort with hypothetical discussions of CSE-related topics, and a willingness to engage in training.