Peer-reviewed article

School-based interventions for sexual education and sexual violence prevention in adolescence: systematic review.

Dos Santos KB, Leme VBR, Dos Santos ACF, Murta SG · 18 Apr 2026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sexual violence against adolescents constitutes a serious violation of human rights, with negative repercussions on the physical, emotional, and social development of this population. Comprehensive Sexuality Education interventions have proven to be promising strategies for preventing violence in school contexts, as they promote adolescent empowerment and recognize sexuality as a fundamental dimension of human development. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examined interventions conducted with high school adolescents in school contexts, focusing on comprehensive sexuality education and the universal prevention of sexual violence in adolescence. METHODS: The PRISMA guidelines and PICOS criteria were used to identify, select, evaluate, and synthesize the included studies. The databases searched were SciELO, Virtual Health Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, DOAJ and PubMed. Risk of bias was systematically assessed using design-specific tools according to study type, including the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research for qualitative studies, ROBUST for observational designs, RoB 2 for randomized trials, and ROBINS-I for non-randomized interventions, ensuring methodological rigor and comparability across study designs. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies published between 2019 and 2024 were identified through electronic databases. The findings indicated that interventions were most effective in increasing knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive methods, and consent. However, low consistency was observed in translating such knowledge into behavioral change, with limited outcomes in improving protective practices and effectively reducing indicators of sexual violence. The main limitations involved the use of convenience samples, lack of follow-up, absence of analyses considering the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality, and the exclusion of content related to LGBTQIAPN+ populations. CONCLUSION: The findings of this review reveal limitations stemming from the heterogeneity of methodological designs, restricting the potential for broader generalizations. While the studies demonstrated efficacy in knowledge promotion, limitations were observed regarding the effective prevention of sexual violence against adolescents, possibly related to the evaluation measures employed and the stigmatized nature of the topics addressed. Future research should adopt more robust methodologies, include longitudinal follow-ups of interventions, and engage social actors from the context to develop content that is more socially relevant and tailored to participants’ needs.