Exploring Young People’s Beliefs and Attitudes Towards Intimate Peer Relationships: Implications for Effective Youth Work and Education

Abstract

This study investigates the beliefs and attitudes of young people towards intimate peer relationships. Through a mixed methods approach involving online scenario questionnaires and a focus group, the research highlights notable gender differences in experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment, consent, and the influence of media on body image and self-esteem. The findings suggest that young people often rely on inadequate sources for sexual education, emphasising the need for improved sex and relationships education (SRE) that is inclusive, relevant, and reflective of their real-life concerns. The study provides insights for educators, youth workers, and policymakers on engaging young people in meaningful discussions about healthy relationships, addressing gaps in current SRE provision, and fostering environments that support open communication and critical reflection.

Context

This study was conducted in a large coastal town in the Northwest of England known for its high levels of poverty and above-average rates of teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health issues (Public Health England, 2019). In terms of healthy relationships and gender equality, girls in the town are significantly impacted by sexual harassment. For instance, according to Plan International (2020, p. 53), about 67% girls aged 14-21 have experienced sexual harassment in public, 35% while wearing school uniforms, and 37% while at school, whereas only 6% of boys reported such incidents.

These troubling statistics influenced my practice as a frontline sexual health worker for young people employed by the local authority. During my time in this role, I observed that many young people were unable to access timely and effective intervention from specialised services due to high demand, a concern also noted by Davies (2018). This lack of adequate sex and relationship support and education leaves young people less equipped to recognise, develop, and maintain healthy and equitable relationships. One contributing factor to this uneven provision is the consolidation of specialist sexual health teams for young people into generic youth work services (Goldfarb and Lieberman, 2021).  Starting in 2017, this dilution of specialised frontline services has raised concerns among professionals about the potential increase in risky sexual behaviour and unhealthy relationships among young people due to the absence of dedicated services.

Around the same time, the local authority implemented an asset-based approach to working with families, young people, and children, with the aim of improving outcomes (Wilson and Blandamer, 2016). While this approach held potential benefits, those directly impacted had minimal involvement in its development. To address this gap, I undertook a study involving young people to investigate their beliefs and values concerning intimate peer relationships. This objective aligns with extensive research indicating that young people want to engage in discussions about sex and seek straightforward information on healthy relationships, sexual health, and sexual pleasure (Alldred, Fox, & Kulpa, 2016; Bianchi, Morelli, Nappa, Baiocco, & Chirumbolo, 2018; Meiksin et al., 2019; Stanley, Barter, Wood, Aghtaie, Larkins, Lanau, & Overlien, 2018). This paper explores young people’s beliefs and attitudes towards intimate peer relationships and considers innovative ways of engaging young people in meaningful and effective youth work pertaining to healthy relationships. The findings of this study provide potentially valuable insights for educators, youth workers, parents, and service leaders that can contribute to the design and delivery of effective support.

Research Aims

• To provide information about young peoples’ beliefs and attitudes towards intimate peer relationships.
• To explore the ways professionals can effectively engage and support young people in quality and effective youth work related to healthy relationships

Methods

Given that this study aims to explore the beliefs and attitudes of young people regarding intimate relationships, I opted for a mixed methods approach because employing two data sources allows for a broader range of responses to the research question (Almalki, 2016; Creswell and Plano-Clark, 2018). Moreover, I recognised the possibility that some young people might not express their true opinions during the qualitative data collection phase, as discussions about sex and relationships often provoke feelings of awkwardness and embarrassment (Elley, 2010). To address this concern, I integrated a quantitative tool to ensure participant anonymity and create a more conducive space for open expression.

I employed an exploratory sequential design (Creswell and Creswell, 2018), with quantitative data collection as the initial step. Following the analysis of this dataset, I developed a qualitative data collection tool to follow up on the preliminary findings and offer a more comprehensive response to the research aims. This methodology aligns with Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) assertion that research is enhanced and its credibility bolstered when initial insights are analysed and then further explored through a multi-stage design. Ethical approval for the study was granted by The University of Cumbria.

Participants

Online Scenario Questionnaire (Quantitative)

 

 

 

Focus Groups (Qualitative)

 

 

 

For the quantitative phase of the study, a snowball sampling (Denscombe, 2019) technique was employed, whereby the questionnaire was posted online via social media – a technique that is becoming ever more prevalent in mixed methods research (Stieglitz et al., 2018). Using a self-selecting approach (Khazaal et al., 2014), I requested participants share the link with their contacts who fell into the correct age category and lived in the locality. For the qualitative phase of the study, Year 9 of a mainstream high school was the site of inquiry as this cohort represented the wider population of interest (Department for Education, 2019) and therefore the sampling strategy was one of availability (Guthrie, 2010). Focus-group participants were students with a school schedule that accommodated the session.

Data Collection

(1) Online Scenario Questionnaire (OSQ)

The first tool was an online scenario questionnaire (OSQ) comprising of ten short vignettes relating to sex and relationships that participants could respond to using a five-point Likert scale (Ross and Matthews, 2010). The scenarios asked the students to contemplate a range of decisions that a young person could make in relation to consent, coercion, pressure, and the nature of healthy relationships. The scenarios included situations such as:

• Consent: A boy performing a sex act on his girlfriend whilst she is sleeping; they are in a long-term relationship and have engaged in sexual activity before.
• Coercion: A boy being coerced into sexual activity by a girl who was threatening to spread rumours about his sexuality in their friendship group
• Pressure: A couple have had sex once. One partner is keen to continue with a sexual relationship. The other partner is unsure but feels they cannot say no because they have done it once.

Scenarios were used to elicit the attitudes and beliefs of participants by asking them to select a response using a Likert scale from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. This was valuable in two ways. Firstly, asking respondents to place themselves in someone else’s shoes, when considering the scenarios can foster a protective mindset rather than the defensive mindset that may emerge had they been asked to consider their own relationships (Elley, 2010). This depersonalisation technique means that the issues at hand can be considered in greater depth and breadth (Kumar, 2014).

(2) Focus Group

After the OSQ had been live and gathering data for approximately two months a focus group was arranged. This is in line with the mixed methods nature of this study because the responses to the OSQ informed the facilitation of the focus group. This is supported by Denscombe’s (2019) point that in order for focus group participants to engage in ‘meaningful dialogue’ (Institute of Freire, 2024, online) the facilitator must provide stimulus to encourage response. The focus group took place during a Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) lesson at a high school in the presence of the regular class teacher. The session followed the structure below and was facilitated using a person-centred approach, in line with the National Youth Agency’s (2020) Four Cornerstones of Youth Work. Participant voices were recorded using posters, sticky notes and the researchers’ reflective field notes.

      Focus Group: Duration and Activity

• 10 minutes: Icebreaker – participants to post anonymous questions related to sex and relationships and discuss.
• 20 minutes: Flipchart activity – Participants to explore in small groups what they want from a relationship and what they think the opposite sex want.
• 20 minutes: Group discussion related to the flipchart activity.
• 10 minutes: Debrief and signposting.

Data Analysis

As noted above, we employed Likert scale questionnaires to elicit the young people’s feelings in a way that provided consistent responses to predetermined aspects of the research aims (Guthrie, 2010). The questionnaire software I used automatically compiled the data and calculated the number of individual responses to each question. In addition, manual analysis took place by sorting the 51 questionnaires into male and female groups. Next, we used descriptive analysis to tabulate the data, presenting it visually to highlight key areas of consensus and dissent. This work informed the facilitation of the focus group (Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Nowell, Norris, White, and Moules, 2017).

There are three sources of raw qualitative data; the posters and sticky notes the young people created during the focus group and the field notes taken during and shortly after the focus group took place. The first step of the analysis was to display the posters and sticky notes on a wall and revisit these over a period of two weeks to immerse ourselves in the data (Nowell et al., 2017). This revisiting led to the identification of four categories of post-it notes. The second step was to place the posters and post-it notes on the floor and use colour to highlight the four categories (Braun & Clarke, 2021).

Schutt (2012) claims that good qualitative data analysis focuses on the whole and therefore the third step was to use the identified categories as the basis for analysing the field notes taken during and shortly after the focus groups. Initially I reviewed the field notes over a period of a day and added reflective memos. The four categories identified from poster and post-it analysis were confirmed along with the identification of two additional categories.

Framing Attitudes and Beliefs as Internal Dialogue

As noted above, analysis of the data revealed six distinct categories related to the attitudes and beliefs of young people concerning intimate relationships. Instead of presenting these findings as definitive statements, we intentionally formulated these as four questions to encapsulate the dialogue young people engage in when considering intimate relationships. This approach acknowledges that the internal dialogues of young people are often influenced by the questions they pose to themselves, their partners, family, peers, and wider society as they navigate the accepted norms, boundaries, and actions associated with intimate relationships.

The four Internal Dialogue Questions (IDQs) are: “How do I Look?”, “What Should I Share?”, “When Should I Stop?”, and “Who Should I Trust?”. To explain our framing, rather than prescribing a singular perspective on how appearance relates to sex and love, we introduced the category “How do I look?”  Within this category, we explore the significance of physical appearance and the concept of attractiveness in the context of intimate peer relationships between young people. This framing allows for a nuanced exploration of the questions and queries that shape young people’s attitudes and beliefs in the realm of intimate relationships.

Findings

How do I look?

A recurring topic during the focus groups was the relevance of physical appearance to intimate peer relationships. The participants’ written contributions centered largely on the impact of societal pressures influencing not only their own self-esteem and body image but also the dynamics and expectations within their intimate relationships, ultimately impacting their overall well-being and the quality of these connections. Whilst all participants expressed a heightened awareness of societal expectations regarding their physical appearance, gender differences emerged within this context. Namely that female participants described more experiences of direct discrimination from the opposite sex, which they attributed to the influence of unattainable societal expectations, as exemplified by the following written contributions during the focus group:

‘If we are skinny we get fat shamed but if we have big boobs we get called fat’ (Girl A, Age 14, Focus Group)

‘All boys care about are sex and looks, they won’t go out with a girl if she’s not pretty’ (Girl B, Age 13, Focus Group)

These statements highlight the unrealistic and contradictory standards imposed on young women at a societal level and capture the pervasive impact of body shaming within immediate social circles. These findings resonate with prior research conducted by Legrand, Silete, and Schiffler (2020), and by Tylka and Calogero (2011), which all emphasise the impact of social influences on individual perceptions of physical appearance. Our study indicates that young people internalise these norms which can – as described by Wang, Wang, Yang, Zeng, and Lei (2020) – lead to diminished self-esteem, increased body dissatisfaction, and heightened vulnerability to mental health challenges, such as anxiety and depression.

However, the data from our focus group also indicates that young people’s attitudes and beliefs about appearance in relation to intimate relationships are not fixed and researchers should be wary of reinforcing wholly negative narratives. For example, the quantitative data indicates that low numbers of both male and female participants believe that individuals who dress in revealing clothing should expect sexual attention. Also, more nuanced and detailed perspectives emerged during the interactive dialogue portion of the focus group, when participants collectively agreed that an individual’s attractiveness encompassed a multifaceted combination of factors extending beyond physical appearance. Traits such as kindness, humour, and loyalty were recognised as contributors to a person’s sexual appeal. This finding indicates the value of open and interactive discussions when exploring contentious issues such as societal beauty standards in relation to teenagers’ intimate relationships, as they provide a platform for young people to collectively reflect, challenge prevailing norms, and ultimately develop a more nuanced understanding of these complex dynamics (Van de Bongardt and de Graaf, 2020).

What Should I Share?

A recurring theme, evident throughout the data, was the pressure to share naked or semi-naked pictures and provocative messages (sexting). Among young people, this intimate form of interaction takes place at various stages of connection, reflecting the dynamic nature of modern relationships. For example, studies by Cooper, Quayle, Jonsson, and Svedin (2016), Wilkinson, Whitfield, Hannigan, Azam, and Hayter (2016) and Anastassiou (2017) confirm that some young people engage in sexting for personal exploration of sexual identity, while others use it in more casual, non-committal relationships, often as a safer alternative to in-person sexual encounters. In our study, participants, particularly boys, identified a sense of obligation to participate in sexting within both committed and casual relationships but appeared unclear about their reasons for participating in the practice and were hesitant to directly link it to sexual gratification. Participants succinctly captured this sentiment with comments such as:

‘It’s just something you’re expected to do’ (Boy A, Age 13, Focus Group)

‘I get them but why would I want to see that?!’ (Girl, D, Age 14, Focus Group)

This reflects the social pressure felt by young people in relation to sex and intimacy. Such pressure can lead to instances of coercive sexting, where one party may feel compelled to participate. This coercion can engender a heightened need for external validation during adolescence (Andreassen, Pallesen, & Griffiths., 2017). Research indicates that when individuals receive validation from a specific practice, they tend to engage in it repeatedly (Legrand, Silete, & Schiffler, 2020 citing Oishi, Diener, Lucas and Suh, 1999). Moreover, adolescents with low self-esteem are more susceptible to the harmful effects of relying on external validation, compared to those with high self-esteem (Tian, Dong, Xia, Lui, and Wang, 2020). This suggests that the pressures young people face in relation to sharing images and sexting are deeply intertwined with their stage of development and their self-worth.

However, the varying ability of young people to effectively articulate their feelings about sex and relationships complicates the degree to which their experiences are understood by researchers and practitioners. In fact, our study revealed a disconnect between adolescents’ attitudes and beliefs and their chosen behaviours. For example, whilst boys initially expressed a desire to procure sexts, a deeper group discussion revealed a more complex and ambivalent reality.

‘Half the time you don’t even fancy the person sending it.’ (Boy B, Age 13, Focus Group)

This suggests that to provide effective support for young people in navigating these interactions, it is imperative to gain a comprehensive understanding of their perspectives, motivations, and the dynamics surrounding sexting among them. This will be difficult when, notably, the quantitative data for this study shows a higher proportion of male participants lack the ability to recognise coercive behaviour. The existing literature does not clearly indicate whether the skills required to promote healthy relationships in young people are developed in initial teacher training or supported by current curricula and standards in PSHE provision. This indicates the need for specialist practitioners in schools, with skills in building healthy relationships that encourage open dialogue as called for by Elley (2010).

When should I stop?

In both the quantitative and qualitative data, it was clear that a higher number of female participants had a clearer understanding of unhealthy relationship behaviours than males. Data from the OSQ shows a significantly higher proportion of males lack an understanding of coercive, controlling scenarios and scenarios lacking consent. With most commenting they were unsure that the abusive scenarios were okay.  Research has identified that females emotionally mature faster than their male counterparts (Renuka and Manju, 2013) which could explain the difference in levels of understanding and interpretation between the genders. During the focus group the girls were vocal when discussing coercive and controlling scenarios. Their responses highlighted a good understanding of consent and they were able to identify which behaviours were not okay.

‘I’d just break up with them, that is not okay.’ (Girl D, Age 13, Focus Group).

The boys remained quiet and appeared uncomfortable during this part of the session and when directly questioned, avoided eye contact and shrugged their shoulders. Even when asked directly for their input they remained silent. This silence could be interpreted as awkwardness due to being in a mixed sex session, and there has been an ongoing debate over whether it is good practice to separate the sexes for PSHE sessions (Measor, 2004; Prendergast, 1996; Strange, Forrest, and Oakley, 2003; Setty, 2023).

There were three scenarios relating to consent, coercion and pressure in the questionnaire and the data identified that there was more uncertainty from male participants as to whether the behaviour depicted in the scenarios was acceptable. Questions describing potentially unhealthy relationship behaviours also evidenced that a higher proportion of females were able to identify abusive and coercive behaviour and whilst some males recognised these potentially unhealthy behaviours there was a higher proportion that did not in comparison to female participants. Fanghanel (2020) claims that historically consent has been depicted by formal SRE as something tangible and explicit. However, this can be confusing for individuals as consent is complex and therefore must be contextualised in regards to individuals lived experience and current circumstances. This could potentially explain some of the comprehension issues relating to consent.

Who should I trust?

The issue of pressure was further explored during the focus group, with female participants asserting that males expected sex and would only pursue a relationship if they anticipated sexual involvement. This points to a general mistrust regarding male intentions in establishing connections with females. Despite verbal denials from males, their written input included numerous comments on sexual activity, supporting the females’ assertions. However, male participants also explored the pressure they felt from the opposite sex in regard to intimate relationships.

‘I feel like girls expect that we [males] should know what to do.’ (Boy C, Age 13, Focus Group)

A trusted source to help males address the pressure around expectations of knowing what to do was pornography. This aligns with Stanley et al.’s (2018) claim that young people are using pornography for sexual education purposes. The girls disagreed with the boy’s opinion of pornography being a trustworthy source and claimed it created unrealistic expectations and unhealthy relationships.

‘It’s all about what the man wants.’ (Girl C, Age 13, Focus group.)

‘All the woman are shaved, boys expect us to all look like that.’ (Girl A, Age 14, Focus Group).

Further discussion on pornography led to the boys aligning with the girls’ opinions. After the focus group concluded, the PSHE teacher, who had observed the session, noted that the boys behaved differently in single-sex PSHE lessons. He suggested that the boys were attempting to impress the girls, emphasising that their verbal feedback might not truly reflect their attitudes and beliefs about intimate relationships. According to him, their written feedback, which indicated trust in pornography and prioritising sex as a reason for being in a relationship, were a more accurate representation of their beliefs. This highlights a complex landscape of trust concerning sex and healthy relationships, encompassing questions about whether young people trust each other in a relationship, whom they trust in society for guidance and support on sex, and how mutual understanding about sex in relationships is established.

A number of authors (Brown and McQueen, 2020, citing Allen,2005; Aggleton and Campbell, 2000; and Buston, Wight and Hart, 2002) claim that in mixed SRE classes boys will often make jokes and seem immature in comparison to girls because they feel uncomfortable. In the present study there was a clear divide between the girls and boys in the room and this created an imbalance of power. The male participants were initially loud and made jokes about the subject matter, they also continually tried to make eye contact with some female participants which indicates they were interested in the female participants response to their behaviour. The female participants were dismissive of the male participants’ verbal contributions and on several occasions the female participants would display negative body language such as eye rolling or shaking their heads when the males were talking. Some female participants repeatedly verbally challenged the males’ responses. Male participants did respond to some challenges but did not challenge any of the females’ responses. This could have been a result of a larger number of girls being present in the focus group than boys. Parity between the sexes within the sample is another factor to be considered when evaluating the trustworthiness of the results as males were significantly underrepresented in comparison to their female counterparts; it would be interesting to see if equal representation between the sexes would culminate in equivalent results especially when considering the results through the lens of gender norms.

Outcomes: Insights for Guiding Practice

As a result of this study, we have developed a series of insights which can inform practice. Each insight is derived from the internal dialogue questions set out above and is directly informed by the attitudes and beliefs of young people.

       Insight: Young people are worried that notions of attractiveness are influenced by social and mass media.

Our study shows that young people are stressed about the influence of social and mass media on young people’s perceptions of attractiveness. This impacts their body image and self-esteem. However, body image does not appear explicitly in the Department of Education (2019) RSE guidance of what students should know by the time they have finished high school. Instead, many schools draw on guidance and resources published by other organisations including Public Health England, ChildNet and even commercial endeavours such as the Dove BeReal campaign (Public Health England, 2020). However, these resources put the onus on the individual enhancing their own body image and self-esteem whereas the findings of this research indicate the importance of a socially situated approach. This takes into account how self-esteem is constructed within social contexts and impacted by perceptions of others’ beliefs and attitudes toward the self.

To address this concern, it is important for schools and policymakers to consider a mixed-sex approach to PSHE alongside the single-sex sessions, which are often recognised as good practice (Department of Education, 2020). Practitioners should facilitate open discussions in safe spaces, encouraging young people to explore layers of attraction and media influence. To achieve this discursive approach, effective training for practitioners is crucial, emphasising practical skills around difficult conversations and fostering dialogue.

We suggest creating clear best practice guidelines for mixed-sex PSHE and implementing an in-person train-the-trainer program within schools. This approach ensures the reliable dissemination of evidence-based information and improving practitioner knowledge (Yarber et al., 2015). Recognising teachers’ crucial role in PSHE education, it is noted that they have expressed a desire for more training and may avoid certain subjects due to concerns about mishandling (Davies and Matley, 2020). Prioritising practical and empowering training can effectively address these concerns, fostering a more informed and supportive educational environment.

       Insight: Young people sense pressure to send or procure sexually explicit images.

According to the Office for National Statistics (2020), around 10% of children aged 13 to 15 years reported receiving a sexual message, while 1% reported sending a sexual message, in the previous 12 months. This is in line with wider literature which suggests the prevalence rate of adolescents engaging in sexting is low (e.g., Symons, Ponnet, Walrave, and Heirman,2018). However, the majority of participants in the focus group reported direct experience of sexting. Most participants described feeling a sense of pressure to send sexts to a partner. Interestingly, the group found it difficult to pinpoint the origin of this pressure, hinting at a potential underlying sense of shame associated with this behaviour. Educators must be cognizant of the multifaceted motivations behind teenage sexting to offer effective support for healthy relationships. These motivations include peer pressure, validation seeking, sexual exploration, media influence, risk-taking behaviour, and emotional connection (Symons et al., 2018). Being aware that a sense of shame may inhibit young people from exploring the motivation to sext is imperative for practitioners. This advice aligns with current Department of Education (2019) guidance for PSHE which states that by the end of secondary school young people should be aware of a ‘range of strategies’ for resisting sexual pressure. However, the guidance lists only one specific strategy which is that young people need to understand peer pressure. Expanding on this guidance and developing training materials for schools would be useful.

This study indicates that the range of strategies for identifying and managing sexual pressure could include promoting open communication about boundaries and consent, teaching assertiveness skills, fostering self-confidence and self-esteem, providing education about healthy relationships and sexuality, encouraging critical thinking about media messages, offering support services for victims of sexual coercion or harassment, and creating safe and inclusive environments where individuals feel empowered to speak up and seek help when needed. Additionally, promoting respect for diverse identities and promoting positive masculinity and femininity can help challenge harmful gender stereotypes and reduce the prevalence of sexual pressure. Questions remain about the feasibility and manageabilty of this recommendation in the challenging funding and staffing context of schools.

It is worth noting that during written contributions for this study, boys had initially expressed that they wanted sexts from a partner but during the open dialogue element, boys began shifting their opinion, with several stating by the end that it was not actually something they wanted. This suggests that initial expressions of desire for sexting may not always reflect genuine personal preferences, and that deeper reflection and open dialogue can lead individuals to reassess their attitudes and desires, highlighting the importance of ongoing communication and critical thinking in navigating complex issues of sexuality and relationships during PSHE classes. Questions remain about achieving this degree of open communication in school environments with power imbalances and entrenched hierarchies (Freire, 2018), where harmful norms, potentially sexist or racist, may exist. While we can’t provide definitive answers, we encourage critical reflection from those involved in designing, developing, and delivering PSHE curricula. This work should be informed by democratic principles of education such as those encapsulated in the National Youth Agency’s ‘Four Cornerstones of Youth Work (National Youth Agency, 2020).

       Insight: Boys and girls both acknowledge the importance of obtaining consent, but do not always have the socio-affective skills necessary for meaningful discussions of the topic.

The quantitative data identified a significant difference in understanding of consent between the sexes with a significantly higher proportion of males evidencing lack of understanding in consent-based scenarios. This was reflected in qualitative data collection with girls in the focus group being clear on their perceptions of right and wrong behaviour relating to consent whereas the boys appeared to struggle. Whilst the boys evidenced understanding of the concept of consent they had difficulty applying it to contextualised scenarios. Whilst this paper has recognised that mixed sex classes can be beneficial when exploring healthy relationship topics it also understands the need for single sex classes. Single sex sessions are common in PSHE practice (Department of Education, 2018) and this presents an opportunity to tailor sessions for boys so they can explore a wide range of consent-based topics to broaden understanding in a safe environment where they do not feel compelled to deviate from their true thoughts and opinions. A survey undertaken by the Sex Education Forum in 2022 evidences that some students reported their RSE content as inefficient and irrelevant, and this could explain the lack of consistency within SRE as discussed by Elley (2011), Meiskin (2019) and Girma and Paton (2015). It is vital that content is relevant, and although current Department of Education (2019) guidance states that by the end of secondary school young people should be able to identify specific characteristics of healthy and positive intimate relationships, the guidance does not offer a variety of strategies. The findings from this study highlight the potential for using bespoke scenario-based approaches during PSHE classes. The scenario technique offers a depersonalised starting point base to encourage the safe exploration of healthy relationships and supports the development of socio-effective skills.

       Insight: Some young people consider pornography a reliable source for sexual education, with boys feeling a sense of obligation to know what to do, while girls feel boys expect sexual contact

The focus group findings evidenced that boys were accessing pornography for educational purposes which aligns with research by Stanley et al. (2018). However, in contrast the girls in the group did not agree that pornography is a valuable source of accurate information and identified that mainstream pornography created unrealistic expectations and fueled misogyny in sexual relationships. This aligns with findings from the quantitative data that pornography does not reflect reality in regard to sexual intimacy; it has been evidenced in wider literature that pornography centers male pleasure in sexual encounters and sexualises female discomfort (Holford, 2019, Brady, Lowe, Brown, Osmond, and Newman, 2017; McCarthy, Carswell, Murray, Free, Stevenson, and Bailey, 2012).

Exploration of unmoderated sources of information about sex can be harmful (Barker, Gill, and Harvey, 2018, McCarthy et al., 2012) and therefore this paper recommends that PSHE practitioners are the trusted source of information in regard to sexual pleasure. Practitioners can feel uncomfortable discussing sexual pleasure (Elley, 2011) and this is reflected in the fact that current PSHE provision takes a biological approach (McCarthy et al. 2012) which leaves young people lacking vital information (Cameron-Lewis and Allen, 2013) and filling the gaps in knowledge via the internet (Stanley et al., 2018; Barker et al., 2018, McCarthy et al., 2012; Yeo and Chu, 2017). In order to address the issues around sharing information relating to sexual pleasure it is recommended that the PSHE practitioner takes a relational approach to practice while recognizing that personal experiences are not to be shared. Instead, exploration of opinions, not experiences, should shape the approach, as this can better create a safe and shame sensitive environment. Practitioners need to be highly skilled and undergo training which reinforces a previous recommendation. Regular reflective supervision which also incorporates clear guidelines for practitioners is vital to ensure practitioners are supported and able to meet the needs of young people without overstepping boundaries.

Limitations

A limitation of this paper is the sample size of the study, hence limiting generalizability. It is acknowledged that a larger pool of participants could have produced more reliable results (Kumar, 2014). However, as an example of practice-based research and the uses of the evidence from such research, the study provided considerable insights that are relevant to practices in the schools in the area. Parity between the sexes within the sample is another factor to be considered when evaluating the trustworthiness of the results as males were significantly underrepresented in comparison to their female counterparts. The scope of this study only explored heterosexual relationships and it was identified that the inclusion of LGBTQ+ participants could add a more encompassing viewpoint.

Conclusion

The recommendations of this study recognise that young people want to shape their own learning by asking their own questions. A review of SRE literature suggests that efficacious sex and relationships education needs to take a holistic approach and consider the needs of the young people it is created for (Batsleer, 2012; Elley, 2010; Bianchi et al., 2018; Meiksin et al., 2019, McCarthy et al., 2012; Stanley et al., 2018). Whilst the data relating to the efficacy of SRE was inconclusive it was possible to identify that current SRE provision is at least partially ineffective at the project site through the lack of SRE knowledge identified in the exploration of young people’s attitudes and beliefs in regards to intimate relationships. This claim is reinforced by the wealth of literature critiquing SRE provision in general (Elley, 2011; Batsleer, 2012; Girma and Paton, 2015). Young people want to engage in discussions about sex and want to be able to access straightforward information on sexual health and sexual pleasure (McCarthy et al., 2012).

However, due to gaps in current provision young people are regularly exploring other sources of information, some of which could be dangerous (Barker et al., 2018; Yeo and Chu, 2017). These are the gaps in adolescent sex and relationship knowledge practitioners should be trying to fill. Whilst these questions may not all be the same for each RSE group the Internal Dialouge Questions (IDQs) offer practitioners an insight into themes /genres of adolescent concerns which can be helpful as a guidance tool. Batsleer (2012) states that the majority of academic teachers do not feel comfortable or have full understanding of their roles as sex and relationship educators. This paper has evidenced that clear practice guidelines which offer a range of strategies are vital in order to ensure clear boundaries for practitioners. It has also been identified that appropriate critical reflection and supervision are beneficial to support PSHE practitioners and the young people they are working with.

Currently the majority of formal SRE in the UK takes place within schools (Department of Education, 2020) and the Personal, Social and Health Education Association (PSHE, 2017) identifies schools as a safe environment for SRE to take place. However, this paper highlights the importance of open, honest and respectful communication to form the base of supportive PSHE provision. Whilst the authors of this paper recognise this, we also identify schools as places where pupils hold less power than staff (Skerritt, O’Hara, Brown, McNamara, and O’Brien, 2022). We pose the question, “Can respectful communication be modelled in a power imbalanced environment with strong hierarchies and a hidden curriculum of norms?” We cannot answer that, but we invite critical reflection from those designing and developing and delivering curricula for PSHE.

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To cite this work, please use the following reference:

Anderson, S., & Hardacre, C. (2024, September 7). Exploring young people’s beliefs and attitudes towards intimate peer relationships: Implications for effective youth work and education.  Social Publishers Foundation.  https://www.socialpublishersfoundation.org/knowledge_base/exploring-young-peoples-beliefs-and-attitudes-towards-intimate-peer-relationships-implications-for-effective-youth-work-and-education/

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