The Impact of Theatre-Based Interventions for Sexual Health Education to Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Sexual education programs are necessary for adolescents. According to the literature, adolescents find theater-based interventions more acceptable and memorable than traditional didactic teaching methods.

This study aims to summarize all the available primary research with theater-based interventions for sexual health education to adolescents.

In this systematic review, studies were searched in the databases of Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Magiran, SID, and IranDoc, which were written in English or Farsi from 2011 to 2021. Quantitative and mix-method studies with a theater-based intervention for sexual education were selected.

All of the 7 selected studies determined the impact of theater-based sex education on sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases, and four studies on “psychological issues related to sexual health “or “healthy relationship” or “sexual violence.” The outcomes of the studies included increasing knowledge and self-efficacy and improving attitudes regarding sexual health, the intended age of first sex, and less risky behavior in condom usage. Also, two studies determined the appropriate method for theater-based sex education for adolescents.

Theater is an attractive and effective method of sexual education for adolescents. It is recommended that further interventional theater-based studies on adolescents should not only emphasize the biological aspects of reproduction but also focus on acquiring healthy behaviors.