The effect of educational intervention based on theory of planned behavior on mothers' skills in sexual care of children

Ali Khani Jeihooni; Arman Moradi; Asiyeh Yari; Amin Kiyani; Pooyan Afzali Hasirini

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-14162-0

The effect of educational intervention based on theory of planned behavior on mothers' skills in sexual care of children

BMC Public Health. 2022 Sep 16;22(1):1759. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-14162-0.

Authors

Ali Khani Jeihooni¹, Arman Moradi², Asiyeh Yari³, Amin Kiyani², Pooyan Afzali Hasirini⁴

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition Research Center, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Khani_1512@yahoo.com.
² Department of Public Health, School of Health, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
³ Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
⁴ Department of Public Health, School of Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.

Abstract

Background: The parent's and especially the mothers' skills play a major role in the the education of healthy sexual behaviors in children. This study investigates the effect of educational intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on mothers' skills in the sexual care of children in Fasa city, Fars province, Iran in 2019.

Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental intervention with a control group. 200 mothers of children aged 5 to 6 years in Fasa preschool were selected using a multi-stage random sampling method and were divided into two groups of intervention (100) and control (100). After providing a pre-test to both groups, only the experimental group received training on sexual care of children's abilities based on the Theory of Planned Behavior constructs. The educational intervention consisted of seven 55-60-minute sessions in which the presenter gave a presentation, asked and answered questions, and used posters, brochures, films, animations, and PowerPoints. Both groups completed the questionnaire three months following the intervention. A questionnaire and Theory of planned behavior constructs were used to collect information. The data was analyzed with SPSS22 software using paired t-tests, Chi-square tests, and independent t-tests, with a significance level of 0.05.

Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the constructs of theTheory of planned behavior between the two groups (p>0.05), but after the intervention, knowledge scores from 8.33±2.97 to 20.67±2.84, attitude scores from 29.80±4.27 to 62.22±4.34, subjective norms from 20.12±4.55 to 42.28±4.20, perceived behavioral control from 20.24±4.36 to 42.88±4.52, behavioral intention from 3.24±1.60 to 7.44±1.59 and behavior from 2.98±1.13 to 8.14±1.08 in the intervention group (p< 0.001).

Conclusion: This study showed TPB constructs' Effectiveness in adopting the level of mothers' skills in the sexual care of children. Hence, this model can act as a framework for designing and implementing educational interventions for the sexual care of children.

Keywords: Children; Intention; Sexual Care; Theory of Planned Behavior.

MeSH terms

Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Health Education* / methods
Humans
Intention
Mothers* / education
Sexual Behavior
Surveys and Questionnaires