Mothers' practices and barriers in sexuality education for adolescents with intellectual disabilities

Adolescents with intellectual disabilities face heightened risks of sexual victimisation, making sexuality education a critical protective factor.

This qualitative study explored how mothers conceptualise, implement, and experience challenges in delivering sexuality education within Indonesia's conservative sociocultural context. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 mothers of adolescents aged 10-17 years with intellectual disabilities. Thematic analysis identified six core themes: (i) understanding of sexuality education, (ii) mothers' attitudes, (iii) educational practices, (iv) barriers, (v) mothers' roles, and (vi) support needs.

Mothers primarily linked sexuality education to hygiene, body protection, and abuse prevention, usually taught reactively during puberty or behavioural incidents. Barriers included discomfort, low confidence, stigma, limited knowledge, and a lack of culturally appropriate resources. Despite these constraints, mothers recognised their central role and expressed strong motivation for structured training and collaboration.

Findings highlight the urgency of family-centred, culturally sensitive interventions to promote safer, inclusive environments.