The Effects of The My Body is Safe Education Program on Preschool Children's Sexual Development and Gender Equality Awareness

Abstract

Sexuality education during early childhood is increasingly recognised as a fundamental component of holistic child development, contributing to children's understanding of body autonomy, personal safety, gender identity, and respectful interpersonal relationships. Nevertheless, sexuality education remains a sensitive and underrepresented area within early childhood curricula in many countries and empirically validated educational programmes integrating gender equality are scarce. Addressing this gap, the present study examined the effectiveness of the My Body is Safe Education Program, a developmentally appropriate sexuality education programme designed to promote sexual development and gender equality awareness among preschool children. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed involving 40 preschool children aged 60–72 months, comprising an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). Quantitative data were collected using the Selçuk Sexual Development Scale, while qualitative evidence was obtained through classroom observations and reflective daily reports documenting children's behavioural responses throughout the intervention. Non-parametric statistical analyses, including the Mann–Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics to evaluate differences between and within groups. The findings revealed no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at the pre-test stage, indicating comparable baseline sexual development knowledge. Following the eight-week intervention, children who participated in the My Body is Safe Education Program demonstrated significantly higher post-test scores in both the Sexual Identity and Gender-Related Behaviour dimensions compared with children in the control group (p < .05). Qualitative findings further indicated improvements in children's understanding of body ownership, personal boundaries, emotional expression, gender equality, respect for diversity, and assertiveness in protecting themselves from inappropriate behaviour. Children also exhibited reduced gender stereotyping in play preferences, colours, occupations, and everyday social interactions. The study demonstrates that developmentally appropriate sexuality education incorporating gender equality can effectively strengthen preschool children's sexual development, gender awareness, and personal safety competencies. These findings contribute to the limited empirical literature on comprehensive sexuality education in early childhood and provide evidence-based recommendations for curriculum developers, teacher educators, policymakers, and preschool practitioners seeking to integrate child-centred sexuality education into early childhood programmes.