Online ISSN: 2325-7466
2006
Triannual
National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET)
United States

Articles

Parent Involvement in Sexuality Education Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Thematic Review

  • Rebecca R. Kammes, PhD, LMFT (Author) University of California, Los Angeles image/svg+xml
    Rebecca R. Kammes, PhD, LMFT, is a clinician and researcher at the UCLA PEERS® Clinic and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Her research interests include sexuality education, family training, and trauma-informed care for individuals with disabilities.
  • Rhonda S. Black, EdD (Author) University of Hawaii-Manoa image/svg+xml
    Rhonda S. Black, EdD, is a Professor and Department Chair at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her teaching expertise and research interests include strategies for adolescents with disabilities, cultural considerations in transition, and improving social skills and healthy interpersonal relationships for adults with intellectual disabilities.
  • Emily C. Tucker, PhD (Author) Oklahoma State University image/svg+xml
    Emily C. Tucker, PhD, is an assistant professor of professional practice at Oklahoma State University, and the program director for Opportunity Orange Scholars. Her research interests focus on increasing access to healthcare and post-secondary education for adults with intellectual disability.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.549
Abstract
People with developmental disabilities (DD) lack access to many aspects of sexuality education and often experience restrictions in romantic relationships. One factor contributing to this lack of access includes parents feeling uncomfortable providing appropriate sexuality education to their children with DD despite being the primary source of this information. To better understand what supports are available to parents, the current thematic review explored the existing literature on sexuality education for individuals with DD that explicitly includes parent involvement. Resulting literature was thematically clustered into four categories (a) parent opinion on curriculum/program content or delivery; (b) parent participation as a training recipient; (c) parent feedback and post-implementation outcomes, and (d) recommendations from program developers on how to better utilize parents. Current literature highlights how parents can have a meaningful role in the development of sexuality programs, and how individuals with DD can greatly benefit from programs that include parent involvement.
Keywords
Course Content, Developmental Disabilities, Parent Attitudes, Parent Education, Parent Participation, Parent Role
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How to Cite
Kammes, R. R., Black, R. S., & Tucker, E. C. (2024). Parent Involvement in Sexuality Education Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Thematic Review. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 19(2), 44-55. https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.549

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