Evaluating the Effects of a Personal Hygiene Program on the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Intellectual Disabilities Teenagers and their Parents

Abstract

To determine the effects of personal hygiene training on the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior of teenagers with mild intellectual disabilities (ID), this study employed a randomized controlled type, social cognitive theory design. A 10‐week, 10‐session program was given to the teenagers (17.38 ± 1.61 years) and their parent. Included in the program were activities covering the washing of hands/face/hair/body, oral hygiene/brushing teeth, clothing hygiene, and menstrual and genital hygiene. At the end of the program and again 3 months later, the personal hygiene habits of the teenagers were significantly improved compared to before the training program. Significantly positive changes were observed in hygiene habits compared to pretraining (p < .001). Compared to pretraining, a significant increase occurred in the skill behavior demonstrated by the teenagers (p < .001). Consequently, it is recommended that the program be implemented by healthcare professionals for all teenagers with mild ID and their parents.

Empirically Supported Strategies for Teaching Personal Hygiene Skills to People with Intellectual Disabilities

“…This is in spite of obvious immediate and tangential benefits to an individual's independence, health, safety, and social relationships (Garff & Storey, 1998;Stokes, Cameron, Dorsey, & Fleming, 2004). Evidently, there is also a dearth of research that has been undertaken in this area in the last two to three decades, particularly with children and adolescents (Konuk Sener, Aydin, & Cangur, 2019).…”

“…The majority of research targeting washing/bathing in individuals with intellectual disabilities has used multi-component treatment packages that begin with a task analysis, and subsequently include some combination of psychoeducation, selfmanagement, modeling, prompting, and reinforcement procedures (Barry, Apolloni, & Cooke, 1977;Jarman et al, 1983;Konuk Sener et al, 2019;Matson et al, 1981;Matson, Marchetti, & Adkins, 1980;Saloviita & Tuulkari, 2000). For example, Matson et al (1980) used self-management procedures within a standard treatment package to teach showering skills to adults with intellectual disability, living within an institution.…”

“…Similarly, Matson et al (1981) demonstrated that a standard treatment package (psychoeducation, modeling, self-monitoring, and reinforcement) taught within a group setting to adults with intellectual disability was superior to a no-treatment control condition, and gains were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. More recently, Konuk Sener et al (2019) utilized a group parent and adolescent personal hygiene education program, including psychoeducation, video/ in-vivo modeling, and group discussions to teach bathing practices to young people with mild intellectual disability. These findings suggest multi-component instruction shows promise for the efficient and effective delivery of skills education for people with intellectual disabilities.…”

“…It is, therefore, logical to consider interventions that support the acquisition of whole-routine self-care skills. Varying combinations of teaching methods have empirical support for teaching self-care routines including psychoeducation, picture schedules, checklists, reinforcement, modeling, and prompting procedures (Barry et al, 1977;Doleys, Stacy, & Knowles, 1981;Jarman et al,1983;Konuk Sener et al, 2019;Matson et al, 1980;Piazza et al, 1997;Thinesen & Bryan, 1981). Interestingly, the majority of these studies were implemented in residential care or hospital settings (Piazza et al, 1997;Thinesen & Bryan, 1981) and thus replication in the home, with parents and children as change agents, is required.…”

Measurement in the study of menstrual health and hygiene: A systematic review and audit

“…Djalalinia et al [17] defined menstrual hygiene as "bathing and washing during the period of menstruation after each urination and defecation, and use of sanitary pad or cotton", while Leventhal et al [21] defined menstrual hygiene as the use of menstrual products and the frequency of changing products. For adolescents with mild intellectual disability, Sener and colleagues [41] evaluated menstrual hygiene as bathing practices, and observational assessment of demonstrating placing a menstrual product on a doll. Shesthra et al [44] used menstrual practices to balance across intervention and control groups at baseline, implying hygiene as the menstrual materials used and if respondents had ever used sanitary pads.…”