An experimental study of two methods for teaching sexual history taking skills

The purpose of this study was to test two distinct components of a sexual history taking training program in a controlled, randomized experiment. Twenty-four family practice residents were divided into two groups. One group received skills oriented training and the other received sexual awareness oriented training. Both groups received active listening skills training and general information about sexual dysfunction. The effects of the two treatment groups were assessed by residents' performance in videotaped simulated sexual history interviews. Results strongly suggested that the skills oriented method was more effective than the awareness oriented method for teaching residents to take a sexual history. No residents elicited information about sexual orientation. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for teaching and research in sexual history taking skills.