Important Conversations: Exploring Parental Experiences in Providing Sexuality Education for Their Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Parents typically serve as the primary sexuality educators for their children. This qualitative research explored the experiences of parents from Arkansas in providing sexuality education to their children with intellectual disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain the perspective of parents, followed by transcription and coding of data. The analysis of the interview data resulted in several themes related to effective comprehensive sexuality education. Themes discussed in this paper include the individual and unique needs of each child and their family, parents needing collaborative support from other knowledgeable adults, and clear communication in relation to communication partners, communication mode, and regarding topics and skills deemed necessary by parents.