Co-Construction of an Affective and Sexuality Education Pathway: A Participatory Approach for Promoting Well-Being at School

Journal title PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE
Author/s Luigi Russo, Anna Innocente, Matteo Sabato, Irene Manco, Federica Rossetti, Emanuela Mariano
Online First 9/30/2026 Issue 2026/Online First
Language Italian Pages 13 P. 1-13 File size 104 KB
DOI 10.3280/pds2026-21407
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Affective and sexuality education represents a relevant domain for the promotion of wellbeing and relational competencies in developmental age, particularly within contexts characterized by fragmented regulation and polarized public debate. The present study describes the design, implementation, and qualitative evaluation of a school-based program developed in an Italian Comprehensive Institute through a participatory action-research framework aimed at the co-construction of a shared curriculum. Exploratory focus groups and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Four main thematic areas emerged: institutional consolidation of the program, increased professional awareness among teachers, overall parental acceptability, and perceived improvement in relational climate within classrooms. Although exploratory in nature, the findings suggest that participatory co-construction may represent a sustainable strategy for integrating affective and sexuality education into the regular curriculum, contributing to the well-being of the educational community.

Keywords: affective and sexuality education, co-construction, action research, participation, school well-being.

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Luigi Russo, Anna Innocente, Matteo Sabato, Irene Manco, Federica Rossetti, Emanuela Mariano, La co-costruzione di un percorso di educazione affettiva e sessuale: un approccio partecipativo per la promozione del benessere a scuola in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" Online First/2026, pp 1-13, DOI: 10.3280/pds2026-21407