Finnish health textbooks assume teens have sexual skills many adults lack

Finnish upper secondary school health textbooks now present sexuality and sex more positively than before, but they still fail to teach students the practical skills needed to discuss consent, according to a new study by the University of Helsinki.

Researchers analysed all Finnish health education textbooks published since 2000, finding a clear shift from early warnings about risks to a rights-based approach that emphasises personal boundaries. However, the books still assume students possess negotiation skills that even many adults struggle with, such as openly discussing desires or withdrawing consent during intimacy.

The study, led by postdoctoral researcher Sanna Spisak, shows that while textbooks now frame sexual consent as a fundamental right—where everyone can decide what they do or don’t want to do—they lack concrete examples of how to communicate these boundaries with a partner.

“Nuoria ei ehkä opeteta varmistamaan toisen suostumusta tai rajaamaan konkreettisesti, mikä on OK ja milloin,” Spisak noted, highlighting that students are expected to navigate complex conversations without guidance. Clinical sexologist Maria Vihlman added that even adults find these discussions difficult, as they require self-awareness, clear communication, and the ability to respond to a partner’s needs.

The textbooks also overlook how to confirm ongoing consent throughout sexual activity or how to revoke it mid-situation. Instead, they assume 14–16-year-olds—most of whom lack physical sexual experience—can already identify their own desires, set firm boundaries, and reject pressure, including the urge to please others.

Vihlman argued that acknowledging the difficulty of these conversations could help develop better communication tools, making sex safer and more enjoyable for everyone. The study’s findings suggest textbooks idealise a “model sexual citizen” who moves confidently through relationships—a standard few teens, or even adults, realistically meet.

The research follows a 2021 change in Finnish sexual offence laws, which now require explicit consent for all sexual acts. While textbooks have updated their legal framing, their practical advice remains incomplete.