“How I Learned About Consent”: Examining the Influence of Research Based Theatre on Consent Attitudes Amongst College Students and Secondary School Students

This study explores the capacity of research-based theatre productions to educate young adults about sexual consent. The play The Kinds of Sex You Might Have at College was devised with stakeholder input responding to Irish data on experiences of sexual violence and harassment, and knowledge and attitudes towards sexual consent behaviour. Study 1 investigated pre- and post-test scores of sexual consent attitudes, perceived control, social norms, and intention to act amongst Irish college students who attended the play. Study 2 was a replication of Study 1 amongst Irish secondary school pupils who attended a modified version of the play (titled How I Learned About Consent). Results of both between subjects t-tests and multiple regression analyses demonstrated significant changes in perceived control and intentions to act on consent behaviours, and cognitive theatrical engagement significantly predicted outcomes of post-show consent attitude means. Both studies conclude that these research-based theatre plays can have an influence on changes in self-reported sexual consent attitudes. Recommendations for future studies are made, including use of different measures, targeted demographic sampling and the implementation of an experimental design and qualitative follow-up.