Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?

Sexual health programs have been found to facilitate improved physical and social well-being, yet the role that individual differences play in shaping program outcomes is under-explored. This study addresses how mindset variation in adherence to social norms influences experiences in a sexual health program.

Between June 2022 and January 2023, participants (UK residents; N = 125, age 22.09 (SD = 2.10)) engaged in a pretest–posttest design with a gamified sexual health training program. Variables (i.e., mindset, STI-related stigma/shame, sexual self-efficacy, comfort, sex guilt) were measured at three time points (Time 1 (T1): 1-week pre-training (N = 125); Time 2 (T2): immediate post-training (N = 98); and Time 3 (T3): 1-week post-training (N = 87)). Multilevel modeling was used, predicting that changes after engagement with the program will be more true for “looser” rather than “tighter” mindsets.

Participation in the program appeared to reduce STI-related shame significantly (T2: b =  − 0.31; T3: b =  − 0.39) and increased sexual self-efficacy (T2: b = 0.24; T3: b = 0.16) and comfort (T2: b = 0.18; T3: b = 0.14). Modest reductions in STI-related stigma occurred (T2: b =  − 0.06; T3: b =  − 0.06), but not in sex-related guilt (T2: b =  − 0.02; T3: b < 0.01). Main effects revealed that looser mindsets were associated with greater comfort (b =  − 0.26), while tighter mindsets showed marginal associations with higher sexual self-efficacy (b = 0.24) and sex guilt (b = 0.15). Interaction effects revealed that mindset differences influenced the variable of comfort, with tighter mindsets showing larger increases post-training (T2: b = 0.22; T3: b = 0.20).

(1) online sexuality education programming was effective at producing changes in some, but not all, measured sexual health outcomes, and (2) mindset is relevant to sexual health.

This work suggests that the tightness-looseness framework can guide person-centered approaches, enhancing effectiveness and responsiveness in sexual health training curricula.