Medical education about human sexuality: the impact of film in the workshop setting

Abstract

Summary The current study uses a pre‐test‐post‐test control group design in which students who were volunteer participants were randomly assigned, controlled for sex, to one of two 1‐day human sexuality workshops (n=19, n=21) or a control group (n=17). The two workshops were identical in format and content. Each included four topic areas: homosexuality, psychosexual development of the male and female, masturbation, and the meaning of touch. After introduction to topic areas in large group sessions, small group discussions were held, led by trained teams of male and female co‐leaders. The independent variable was the inclusion of films of explicit sexual behaviour in one workshop (film and discussion) during each of the large group sessions, while no films were used in the other workshop (discussion only). Post‐test data from the attitude and knowledge sections of the SKAT test showed that participants in both the film and discussion and discussion‐only workshops changed significantly more than the control group on the heterosexual relations (P < 0.05) and masturbation attitude scales (P<0.01). No significant changes occurred on the knowledge section. Comparisons of pre to post scores of experimental subjects with previous research indicates that the present SKAT results are comparable to those that have been interpreted as significant. However, an analysis of variance comparing pre to post SKAT scores of both experimental groups revealed only one SKAT scale differential between the groups, with discussion‐only participants showing more change (masturbation, P < 0.05). Thus, the addition of explicit films to a workshop was not shown to have a significant effect on attitude change and knowledge scores as measured by the SKAT. Implications of the findings for future course planning are discussed.

A systematic review and thematic analysis of cinema in medical education

“…Other themes were the technical aspects of using cinema for teaching,9 human sexuality,10 clinical pharmacology,11 paediatrics,12 general medicine,13 AIDS14 and group counselling 15…”

“…Medical students featured very heavily7 10 11 13 25 29 31 33 47 49 51 53 57 58 63 65 68–70 along with psychiatry residents 8 18–20 22 24 26 30 71. Other targeted groups included clinical teachers,34 40 42 nursing students,12 43 medical13 72 and family medicine residents,45 66 counselling students23 and broader allied health undergraduates 39…”

Sexual Health in Undergraduate Medical Education: Existing and Future Needs and Platforms

“…31,89 However, a controlled study reported in 1983 that students who participated in small group workshops that incorporated sexually explicit material did not fare better on the knowledge and attitudes components of a validated scale for sexuality knowledge and attitudes than students who participated in workshops without explicit material. 90 Use of explicit material is less common in modern medical education, and when it is used, a relative minority of students report that it is beneficial. 33 Indeed, exposure to sexually explicit material without proper context and supervision might lead to worsened prejudice.…”

The current landscape of television and movies in medical education

“…Hollywood movies, documentaries, and short films were screened in full or shown as clips to teach students on topics such as professionalism [ 21 , 22 , 33 ], ethics [ 34 – 36 ], cultural competence [ 5 , 37 , 38 ], managing severe or terminal disease [ 23 , 24 ], breaking bad news [ 14 ], death and dying [ 24 ], and alcohol and other drugs [ 39 , 40 ]. The subjects of sexuality [ 41 ] and clinical pharmacology [ 42 ] were raised in select studies. Specific disease topics mentioned were cancer [ 24 ], epilepsy [ 29 ], and AIDS [ 23 ].…”