Educational Interventions on Sexuality for Parents of Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: An Integrative Review

• Published in: Sexuality and disability 2024-06, Vol.42 (2), p.415-437
• Main Authors: André, Tatiane Geralda, Machado-Kayzuka, Giovanna Cristina, Quinava, Sara Carlitos, Barbosa, Nayara Gonçalves, Alvarenga, Márcia Regina Martins, Fontoura-Junior, Eduardo Espindola, de Lucca, Milena, Valdez-Montero, Carolina, Gil-Llario, Maria Dolores, Nascimento, Lucila Castanheira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Aging; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Children with disabilities; Communication; Communication (Thought Transfer); Community and Environmental Psychology; Educational programs; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Intervention; Literature reviews; Operators; Original Paper; Parent-child relations; Parenthood education; Parents; Parents & parenting; Perceptions; Psychology; Rehabilitation Medicine; Self Efficacy; Sex education; Sexual Behavior; Sexuality; Taboos; Teenagers; Urology
• ISSN: 0146-1044; 1573-6717
• DOI: 10.1007/s11195-023-09825-8

The aim of this article was to identify educational interventions on sexuality for parents of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. This is an integrative literature review. In May, 2023, searches were carried out in 12 databases using the keywords: intellectual disability, sexuality, sexual communication, intervention, program, and parents and Boolean operators AND and OR. The thematic analysis of the nine articles found resulted in the theme: Sex education programs and their interventions, and three sub-themes: (a) conceptualization and design of the programs; (b) from taboo to confidence: increasing self-perception of competence to approach sex education; and (c) speaking the same language: how sex education can contribute to improving communication between parents and children with intellectual disabilities. The results showed that the interventions were effective in promoting positive changes in self-efficacy, contributed to increasing knowledge about sexuality, improved the quality and frequency of communication about sexuality in the family context, and addressed parents' beliefs and attitudes, considering their cultural and personal context with a view to promoting positive changes in these areas. The development of sex education strategies prepares parents and families for handling and safely guiding children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The interventions showed a positive impact on parents and their children. Future investigations combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to the evaluation of these sex education programs are necessary, in order to provide a broader and deeper view of the results achieved.