‘We need “culture-bridges”: professionals’ experiences of sex education for pupils with intellectual disabilities in a multicultural society

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how sex education in special schools in Sweden is influenced and challenged by the multicultural aspects of modern society. In particular, it sought to explore professionalls' experiences of sex education and of honour-related experiences among young people with intellectual disabilities. Data from five individual interviews and one focus groups with four professionals were thematically analysed using sexual scripts as a theoretical framework. The results reveal an ambivalent honour-related script geared toward pupils with intellectual disabilities from cultural backgrounds differing from those of the Swedish mainstream. The provision of sex education, including information about honour-related experiences, is especially important because of these young people's vulnerability; however, addressing the subject effectively is sensitive and complicated. Colleagues with different cultural backgrounds can act as 'culture bridges' for professionals who lack strategies, methods and materials. Increasing professionals' prerequisite qualifications (e.g. further education, supervision) and adopting autonomy-promoted conduct can empower pupils with intellectual disability to exercise autonomy over their sexuality outside their immediate cultural context. ARTICLE HISTORY

Reproductive and Sexual Health Education in Students with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

“…Although research searches set inclusion criteria on studies published since 2010, selected studies were published between 2013 and 2021, with one study published in 2013 (Chappell et al, 2018;Frawley & O'Shea, 2020;Löfgren-Mårtenson & Ouis, 2019;Nelson et al, 2020;Povilaitienė & Radzevičienė, 2013), in 2021 there will be three research (Hartwig & McMullen, 2021;Matin et al, 2021;Sravanti & Arul, 2021). The research article used is from Sweden (Löfgren-Mårtenson & Ouis, 2019;Nelson et al, 2020), North Africa (Chappell et al, 2018), Northern Europe (Povilaitienė & Radzevičienė, 2013), Iran (Matin et al, 2021) and India (Hartwig & McMullen, 2021;Sravanti & Arul, 2021).…”

“…The data obtained in each research is the teacher (Chappell et al, 2018;Hartwig & McMullen, 2021;Löfgren-Mårtenson & Ouis, 2019;Nelson et al, 2020;Povilaitienė & Radzevičienė, 2013), principal and deputy principal (Chappell et al, 2018), parents (Povilaitienė & Radzevičienė, 2013;Sravanti & Arul, 2021), and secondary data (Matin et al, 2021). A complete overview of the characteristics of the study is presented in Table 1.…”

“…The implementation of Reproductive and Sexual Health Education for some parties becomes taboo, so it is important for educators to get approval from relevant parties such as parents/guardians, school boards, principals, and counsellors before holding the education (Hartwig & McMullen, 2021;Löfgren-Mårtenson & Ouis, 2019;Nelson et al, 2020). This is important because there are families who hold the value that the information contained in Reproductive and Sexual Health Education is inappropriate to be conveyed to students with intellectual disabilities and considers that the topics contained in this education are not important to be conveyed (Nelson et al, 2020).…”

Concepções de professores na formação inicial de ciências naturais para a educação em sexualidade e afetividade

“…Esse resultado concorda com outros que argumentam que o conhecimento dos professores sobre a sexualidade e sua diversidade é precário, e suas crenças errôneas contribuem para a manutenção dos preconceitos prevalecentes na sociedade (BORTOLOZZI; VILAÇ, 2017). Da mesma forma, esses resultados referem-se à necessidade de ter espaços de discussão e propostas curriculares alternativas em torno das questões da sexualidade humana nos cenários de formação inicial de professores de ciências, articulando temas como inclusão educacional, Educação em Saúde e reconhecimento da diversidade cultural (MOSQUERA; Löfgren-MÅRTENSON;OUIS, 2019). Esses espaços curriculares proporcionarão oportunidades de questionamento de estereótipos pessoais e culturais, e que promovam a formação inclusiva de uma Dimensão Afetivo-Sexual.…”

“It's not easy to change the mentality”: Challenges to sex education delivery for persons with intellectual disability

“…Consent forms were signed by all participants prior to commencing the interviews. An interview guide was developed from sex education related literature (Frawley & Bigby, 2014;Frawley & Wilson, 2016;Löfgren-Mårtenson & Ouis, 2019;Schaafsma et al, 2014Schaafsma et al, , 2015. The interview guide included questions about the experience of sex education delivery with young people with intellectual disability, barriers and facilitators encountered by the participants in delivering sex education and suggestions for better opportunities for people with intellectual disability to access sex education.…”