Operationalizing the Concept of Sexuality Comfort: Applications for Sexuality Educators

摘要

ABSTRACTThirty‐two high school and college sexuality educators participated in a study designed to operationalize the concept ofsexuality comfort. Research questions asked were: “What is the nature of sexuality comfort?” and “Can the concept, of sexuality comfort be defined operationally?” An interview guide developed with input from an expert panel of health/sexuality educators and semanticists facilitated data collection. Data were categorized and tabulated through a systematic process. This coding process, performed by independent coders, yielded 97.2 reliability. Based on the results, an operational definition of sexuality comfort was delineated. Because an operational definition is one which tellswhat to doto experience the thing defined,1the operational definition of sexuality comfort has immediate practical applications to preparation programs for prospective sexuality educators as well as those currently working in