Understanding our Bodies, Understanding Ourselves: The Menstrual Cycle, Mental Health and Women with Learning Disabilities

Ditchfield, Hedy; Burns, Jan

doi:10.1108/13595474200400035

Cited by 23 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Cridland et al, 2014). At times, however, parents reported being reticent in discussing these issues with their daughters, as are the parents of girls with other developmental and learning disabilities (Ditchfield & Burns, 2004), and this may leave autistic girls vulnerable as they are therefore unprepared for how to safely handle such a situation if it does arise.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parent perspectives on autistic girls’ friendships and futures

Sedgewick

Hill

Pellicano

2018

Autism & Developmental Language Impairments

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Background and aims: Young people's parents often play a key role in facilitating friendships and have their own views on these friendships. Yet parents have rarely been asked to report on the friendships and peer relationships of their autistic children. This study therefore sought to examine parents' perspectives on the friendships and social difficulties of their autistic daughters, and their views and concerns about their daughters' futures. Methods: Twenty parents of autistic adolescent girls, aged between 11 and 18 years, took part in semi-structured interviews on the topics of friendships, conflict and thoughts about adulthood and the future. Results: Results demonstrated that parents often have significant involvement in their daughters' social lives and friendships and have a range of views on these relationships. They highlighted both benefits and pitfalls of their daughters' peer interactions, and the perceived negative influence of these interactions on their daughters' mental health. Most parents had significant concerns about their daughters' futures, either about their ability to live independently, or their potential vulnerability to exploitation. Despite these concerns around sexual relationships, some parents were avoiding raising the issue with their daughters. Conclusions: Adolescent autistic girls often have positive, close friendships, but can also be the victims of bullying, with significant negative impacts on their mental health, at least according to their parents. Concerns about girls' development into adulthood were commonplace, with parents taking a range of approaches to attempt to talk about the future with their daughters. Implications: There is an urgent need for more open conversations to help autistic girls stay safe and secure as they mature, supporting their ability to understand and negotiate more intimate social relationships. Future research should examine these changing relationships as autistic girls' transition to adulthood and should seek to combine the views of parents alongside the young people themselves.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parent perspectives on autistic girls’ friendships and futures

Sedgewick

Hill

Pellicano

2018

Autism & Developmental Language Impairments

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“…In addition to their overall poor level of knowledge in sexual and reproductive health, some studies anecdotally indicate that many women with intellectual disabilities do not understand the connection between menstruation and fertility (Ditchfield & Burns, 2004;McCarthy, 2002). For example one woman in Ditchfield and Burns' study thought her ''hormones would be wanting'' her to have children and: ''I don't know how you get pregnant.…”

Section: Poor Knowledge Of the Connection Between Menstruation And Fementioning

confidence: 93%

“…It has been suggested that accessible education and information on sexual and reproductive health should be taught and reiterated to women with intellectual disabilities across their reproductive life course (Ditchfield & Burns, 2004). However, in figures analysed from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1994Á95), Cheng and Udry (2003) found that teenagers with intellectual disabilities received less classroom instruction on pregnancy, and less instruction and information from parents than their non-disabled peers.…”

Section: Access To Contraception and Pregnancy Informationmentioning

confidence: 97%

Women with Cognitive Impairment and Unplanned or Unwanted Pregnancy: A 2-Year Audit of Women Contacting the Pregnancy Advisory Service

Burgen

2010

Australian Social Work

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Little is known about the experience of women with cognitive impairments (intellectual disability and acquired brain injury) in relation to unplanned or unwanted pregnancies. Records of the Pregnancy Advisory Service (PAS) at the Royal Women's Hospital across a 2-year period were examined. Details of 20 women with cognitive impairments, who had contacted PAS for support with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, were found. Many of these women had faced significant barriers to reproductive choices. The majority of the women had needed someone to facilitate their first contact with PAS; one quarter had contacted PAS too late for the option of the abortion they were seeking; one quarter were in significant conflict with their support people over the pregnancy; almost half of the women contacted PAS significantly late in their pregnancy; and one quarter (more than half of those who already had children) were currently involved with child protection services. The audit suggests that women with cognitive impairments need more accessible information on sexual and reproductive health, and assistance to access pregnancy information and services. It is important that social workers and other professionals who work with women with cognitive impairments be aware of their greater vulnerability and often complex social situations, and adopt a proactive as well as supportive approach when working with these women.Until recently, the failure to acknowledge women with intellectual disability as sexual beings has resulted in many barriers, such as restrictive institutional living and lack of privacy, which has prevented them from exercising their right to engage in adult, sexual relationships. Girls and young women with intellectual disability were once routinely sterilised to prevent them from becoming mothers; an abuse of their 1

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“…Menstruation appears to be problematic for women with learning disabilities. While there is very little research that investigates the perspectives of women with learning disabilities, two studies (Rodgers 2001a; Ditchfield & Burns 2004), suggest that negativity is a key feature of their experience of menstruation. Problems described include menstrual pain, dealing with menstrual flow, maintaining culturally appropriate behaviour and gaining adequate knowledge and understanding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Menstrual Problems Experienced by Women with Learning Disabilities

Rodgers¹,

Lipscombe

Santer

2006

Research Intellect Disabil

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Background Menstruation appears to be problematic for women with learning disabilities, yet there has been little quantitative research on their experiences, or comparisons with other groups of women. This paper considers the nature and extent of menstrual problems experienced by women with learning disabilities. Methods The data reported here come from a cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey conducted with carers of 452 women, aged 14-55 years, who had learning disabilities.Results Women with learning disabilities appear to be as likely to experience menstrual problems as other women. However, such problems may be experienced differently and more negatively and may not always be recognized appropriately. Conclusions More attention needs to be given to menstrual problems experienced by women with learning disabilities, both in research and in practice. It is particularly important that women with learning disabilities be supported to play a central role in recognizing and defining the problems they experience.

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Understanding our Bodies, Understanding Ourselves: The Menstrual Cycle, Mental Health and Women with Learning Disabilities

Cited by 23 publications

References 18 publications

Parent perspectives on autistic girls’ friendships and futures

Parent perspectives on autistic girls’ friendships and futures

Women with Cognitive Impairment and Unplanned or Unwanted Pregnancy: A 2-Year Audit of Women Contacting the Pregnancy Advisory Service

Menstrual Problems Experienced by Women with Learning Disabilities

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