Effects of Acronym-Mediated Lessons Using HIV/AIDS Lived-Experience Storytelling on Pupil-Centered Sexuality Dialogue among in-School Adolescents, Kabwe, Zambia

Teacher embodiment of sexuality taboos in conservative settings produces linguistic avoidance and euphemistic instruction, functioning as a hidden curriculum that transmits shame and silence. This self-censorship undermines curricular fidelity in comprehensive sexuality education and reduces information uptake, contributing to premarital sexual behaviour and school dropout due to pregnancy. Intervention studies testing solutions to teacher-induced barriers remain scarce. This eight-session quasi-experimental study over six weeks evaluated acronym-mediated lessons using HIV/AIDS lived-experience storytelling, delivered by trained sd-PLWHIV facilitators, to overcome teacher-based barriers and enhance pupil-centered dialogue. Purposive sampling with maximum variation ensured diverse representation of adolescents with low assertiveness for refusal of sexual advances in Kabwe, Central Province, Zambia. Intact Grade 10 classes were assigned to conditions: experimental group, n = 38, received acronym-mediated lessons through HIV/AIDS lived-experience storytelling from sd-PLWHIV facilitators; control group, n = 34, received standard teacher-led sexuality education. Pupil-centered sexuality dialogue was measured via structured observation of questions asked, hands raised, comments made, and discussions initiated. The experimental group showed significantly greater post-test dialogue frequency after controlling for pre-test scores, F(1, 69) = 145.78, p < .001, with a large effect size, partial η² = .68. We rejected the null hypothesis. Observations indicated teacher-induced avoidance in controls was associated with learner disengagement, whereas the intervention produced pupil-initiated dialogue. Acronym-mediated lessons using HIV/AIDS lived-experience storytelling are a viable strategy to attenuate shame-based silence and reframe sexuality discourse from teacher-controlled avoidance to pupil-centered engagement, with potential implications for anti-premarital sexual behavioral intention. Strengths, limitations, and implications are discussed.