What they wish they would have known: Support for comprehensive sexual education from Mexican American and White adolescents' dating and sexual desires

Focus groups were conducted to assess what Mexican American and White male and female adolescents wished they had known about romantic and sexual relationships. Relevant gender and ethnic differences emerged in adolescents' desires and findings across all groups supported a need for comprehensive sexual education that contextualizes sexual activity within a framework that emphasizes socio-emotional skills and well-being. Adolescents' desires were emotional, relational, physical and interpersonal in nature. Youth preferred parents and school educators as key sources of information and support. Recommendations for prevention programming and policy are discussed.

Research highlights
► Adolescents desired more socio-emotional support in their romantic relationships.
► Adolescents desired more information from parents and school educators.
► Adolescents frequently attributed negative characteristics to the other sex.
► White females wished they had known about pregnancy, sex, and anatomy.
► Romantic involvement negatively impacted Latinos' other important relationships.