Analysis of Life Respect-related Content Portrayed in the 7th to 10th Grade Textbooks in Middle and High Schools

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze life respect-related content in the 7th to 10th grade textbooks of middle and high schools. METHODS: Sixty two textbooks adopted as middle and high school textbooks were analyzed for content on life respect. RESULTS: There were 6 categories related to life respect content in the 7th to 9th grade textbooks ('prevention of accidents and the first-aid', 'mental health', 'sex and health', 'prevention of drug abuse, smoking and drinking', 'normal life and health', and 'society and health'). Content on life respect in the 10th grade textbooks was categorized as 'drug abuse, smoking, drinking, and health', 'sex and health', 'mental health', 'life science and treating human life too lightly', 'normal life and health', and 'society and health'. CONCLUSION: Content on life respect attached importance to more practical issue such as prevention of violence and suicide rather than fundamental understanding about self and life. These results suggest that the content on life respect should help adolescents find their own values and meaning of life within the concept of coexistence.