A study on the perception of parents on delivery of sex education in India: integrated TISM and MICMAC approach

Cultural discourses cause social stigma and anxieties around the delivery of sex education, making the role of parents very crucial. The importance of parents' perception of the delivery of sex education is recognised worldwide. This study aims to track their perspective on the dissent and acceptance of sex education at home and in the school curriculum for adolescents in India. This study examines various factors affecting parents' choices, viewpoints, and perceptions of the delivery of sex education using Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM) and MICMAC analysis. The TISM strategic framework aids in creating a scientific mental model of the factors influencing parents' perceptions of the delivery of sex education in India. A digraph is prepared based on the responses of 117 parents interviewed across India. The MICMAC analysis brings out factors like cultural and societal change, encouraging open communication between parents and adolescents, and delivery of age-appropriate sex education that can contribute to the comprehensive delivery of sex education in India. The study recommends adequate training for teachers who deliver the programme. Parent-teacher conferences can be organised to assess the curriculum to be delivered as part of the sex education programme.