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Sexual Education and Development in Children with Intellectual Disability: Mothers’ Opinions

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Abstract

This qualitative study was carried out in order to examine the opinions of mothers on sexual education and development in children with intellectual disability. Participants were drawn from the pool of the mothers of 10–15 year-old children studying in a private education and rehabilitation center in Zonguldak/Turkey between February and June 2019; the sample included 14 mothers who consented to participate in the study. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers according to literature were used in the study. During the interviews, the mothers were asked questions such as, “How does your child develop sexually in adolescence?” The answers were noted by the both researchers. Content analysis of the data retrieved was performed by the researchers, who identified and interpreted the main themes. The knowledge levels of the mothers concerning the sexual development of their children with intellectual disability were found to be low, and the mothers experienced problems in the management of their children’s behaviors and required education on this issue. Providing education about sexual development to both children with intellectual disability as well as their mothers may facilitate more effective management of sexual health concerns in this group of adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the mothers who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Nursing, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Meltem Kürtüncü

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Esenköy, Kozlu, 67600, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Aylin Kurt

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  1. Meltem Kürtüncü
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  2. Aylin Kurt
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Correspondence to Aylin Kurt.

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Kürtüncü, M., Kurt, A. Sexual Education and Development in Children with Intellectual Disability: Mothers’ Opinions. Sex Disabil 38, 455–468 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09638-z

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