“How I Learned About Consent”: Influences of research based theatre on sexual consent attitudes

Friel, Gavin, Charlotte, McIvor, Kate, Dawson, Lorraine, Burke, Siobhán, O’Higgins, Eva, O’Byrne, West Caroline, Black, Alexandra, Tierney, Kate, MacNeela, Pádraig. “How I Learned About Consent”: Influences of research-based theatre on sexual consent attitudes. Arts & Health, https://doi.org/10.1080/17533015.2025.2476997

Abstract

Background This paper evaluates the effectiveness of sexual consent promotion research-based theatre (RbT) as a sexual violence and harassment prevention intervention through sexual consent attitude change. Methods Two quantitative studies were conducted: one with higher education students attending The Kinds of Sex You Might Have at College; the other with secondary school pupils attending How I Learned About Consent. Pre- and post-performance surveys were analysed using paired t-tests and multiple linear regressions to assess attitudinal changes and predictors. Results Quantitative analysis revealed significant improvements in sexual consent attitudes. Theatrical experience and demographic factors, including age and gender, were key predictors of attitudinal shifts. Conclusions Research-based theatre is a promising medium for sex-positive sexuality education, fostering attitudinal change while minimizing traumatisation. Future work should explore long-term impacts and integrate mixed methods for deeper insights.

Publisher

Taylor and Francis Group

Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

cbn

Collections

School of Psychology (Scholarly Articles)