Sexual education for adolescent autism spectrum disorders: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Background: The need for sexual education for adolescents with ASD in the formal education setting is increasingly important. The "taboo" perception of talking about sexual development and the absence of sexual education for adolescents with ASD in schools and therapy centers, then forces parents to take full responsibility for the sexual development of adolescents with ASD. The imbalance between the needs of sexual development, sexual education facilities, and the limitations of adolescents due to ASD disorders suffered, placing adolescents with ASD are in a group that is vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse. This study discusses the experiences of parents in meeting the sexual development needs of adolescents with ASD.Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 parents who have teenagers with ASD in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.Results: The results showed a sexual orientation, romantic behavior of adolescents with ASD, sexual harassment committed, and experienced by adolescents with ASD and sexual education efforts provided by parents to adolescents with ASD.Conclusions: These findings indicate the emergence of sexual education emergencies needed by ASD adolescents in the formal education setting to facilitate the needs of the adolescent stage of sexual development, especially those with ASD as part of improving adolescent quality of life and preventing sexual harassment.