Investigating the challenges of teaching sex education to autistic learners: A qualitative exploration of teachers’ experiences

Abstract

BackgroundSex education is essential as it equips individuals with the knowledge to live independent and safe sex lives. However, in the United Kingdom, sex education is not particularly accessible for autistic learners which may lead to a lack of knowledge around appropriate sexual behaviours. AimsThe current study focusses on the challenges of teaching sex education to autistic learners. Methods and proceduresThe data was produced through one-to-one interviews with thirteen educational practitioners that have experienced delivering sex education to autistic learners. Outcomes and resultsReflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to interpret the data, producing themes of (1) Pedagogical Restrictions, and (2) Sexual Impulses. Conclusions and implicationsThese findings demonstrated that the main challenges of teaching sex education to autistic learners pertained to Pedagogical Restrictions in the classroom, and learners’ own sexual impulses. These findings are a positive step towards understanding how to adapt sex education lessons to make them more inclusive and accessible for learners with autism. This study contributes to developing understanding around how to support autistic learners, highlighting gaps in the current sex education curriculum for policy makers, and enabling those surrounding autistic individuals to best support them with body transformations.