The effect of sexuality education based on the information, motivation, and behavioral skills model on improving the teachers' professional competence.

Introduction: Professional competence is the basic need of teachers in effective sexuality education. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of school-based sexuality education (SBSE) on teachers' professional competence (TPC), using the information, motivation, and behavioral skills (IMB) model, in boys' schools.

Methods: A randomized controlled field trial was conducted on 60 teachers who taught adolescents aged 11-19 years and were selected from 12 public boys' schools in Sari, northern Iran. Two groups (intervention and control) were assigned using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. Researchers utilized a self-reported socio-demographic questionnaire and an IMB model-based questionnaire to assess the effects of the educational program. Four groups of 6-8 people underwent six 2-h training sessions based on an IBM model. Teachers were assessed before, immediately, and six weeks after the intervention to evaluate the outcome variables. The data were analyzed using the software SPSS-V19 and Chi-square test, Independent -test, One-way ANOVA, and Repeated Measure ANOVA.

Results: There were no significant differences between intervention and control groups at the baseline in socio-demographic characteristics and TPC (p > 0.05). The mean scores of TPC in sexuality education in every three dimensions of knowledge (P = 0.001), skill (P = 0.002), and attitude (P = 0.007) were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group.

Conclusions: The results of this study show that by using the SBSE program based on the IMB model, the TPC for teaching sexual issues can be improved.