Promoting Parent-to-Child Sex Education in Nigerian Homes through Rational-Emotive Health Education Programme: A Pilot Study of Imojo Community Ofekiti State, Nigeria

This study examined the effects of Rational Emotive Health Education Programme (REHEP) on irrational beliefs of about parent-to-child sex education among parents in Imojo community of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study determined the effects of REHEP on parents’ irrational beliefs relating to teaching their children in Imojo community of Ekiti State: sex education, biological bases of human sexuality, psychosocial bases of human sexuality, reproductive and sexual rights, issues on early preparation for responsible family roles. The study adopted quasi-experiment design that followed a pre-test post-test non-control group approach. A total number of 42 parents who were resident of Imojo Community in Oye LGA of Ekiti State, Nigeria was studied. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance. The pre-test results show that the parents had higher mean scores of irrational beliefs concerning teaching children: sex education (X̅ =3.74; SD=1.14), the biological bases of human sexuality (X̅ =3.74; SD=1.13), the psychosocial bases of human sexuality (X̅ =3.73; SD=1.15), and sexual and reproductive rights, and these mean scores of the irrational beliefs significantly diminished after the intervention programme. There was no significant interaction effect of gender and level of education on the mean scores of irrational beliefs about sex education among the participants. Among other things, the researchers recommended a larger scale of this study will be needed for promoting sex education in Nigerian homes.