Parents’ attitute towards the sexuality of their adolescents with mental deficiency: a qualitative research

Özet

Objectives: This research aims to evaluate parents’ opinions about the sexuality of their children with mental deficien cy (MD). Methods: This research was conducted using the phenomenological method, and it involved the parents of children (n=27) enrolled at a special rehabilitation center in Sakarya Province between February and March in 2018. Individual interviews were conducted using the semi-structured interview technique. Data were analyzed through descriptive analysis by using MAXQDA Plus. Results: Four themes emerged from the parents’ opinions about the sexuality of their children with MD, as follows: 1) “Not aware/ignoring” (statements showing the parents’ being unaware of the problem or showing that they are not thinking about it), 2) “Feeling incompetent/stigmatized” (statements showing that the parents do not know what to do when their children exhibit sexual attitudes), 3) “Trying to prevent it” (statements regarding limiting their children’s ac tions), and 4) “Calling for help” (statements regarding their feeling incompetent and their need for help from someone who is knowledgeable about dealing with their situation). Conclusion: The parents lack sufficient knowledge about their children’s sexuality. They are also uncomfortable in facing criticism from others when problems related to their children’s sexuality arise. Moreover, they try to prevent their children from exhibiting problematic sexual behaviors. They also want to seek help from specialists in dealing with concerns related to their children’s sexuality.