ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ФОРМУВАННЯ СТАТЕВО-ГЕНДЕРНОЇ ІДЕНТИЧНОСТІ У ДІТЕЙ З ПОРУШЕННЯМИ ПСИХОФІЗИЧНОГО РОЗВИТКУ

Abstract

The article covers the issues of sexual education for children with mental and physical disabilities, giving particular attention to the key features in gender identity development in children with disabilities. The authors take into consideration the modern model of social and sexual development, which includes sexual identity, sex-role behavior, and sexual orientation. Major milestones in social and sexual development of typically developing children are analysed and compared to those of children with disabilities. Sexual orientation and gender identity are described with regard to four spectrum components: biological sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual attraction. Development of gender identity is a continues process, which takes understanding of the concept of gender, mastering gender expectations and stereotypes, identification with a parent, learning gender privileges. Children with mental and physical disables face a number of challenges when it comes to their sexual orientation and gender identity development, such as: difficulties in mastering behavioral rules and social expectations; lack of reliable sources of information on gender expression and expectations; lack of information on different types of human relations; high dependence on their caregivers also with regard to the information they obtain; caregivers make presumptions for them being cisgender and heterosexual. When it comes to parents they also experience difficulties dealing with sexual education of their children with disabilities. Conducted research shows that parents of children with disabilities more often use euphemisms, have doubts when and how to talk to their children about physiology of the other sex, how to explain the gender idea, compared to the parents of typically developing children. A closer look is taken at the forms of sexual behavior that cause most parental concerns: masturbation, inappropriate behavior at public places, etc.The authors argue that timely and adequate sexual education for children with disabilities can contribute not only to their quality of personal and social life, but also protect children from possible abuse. Key words: sexual and social development, sexual education, gender identity, sexual orientation, children with special educational needs, disability and sexuality.