An International Study: Teachers’ Opinions About Individuals With Developmental Disabilities Regarding Sexuality Education

This study aimed to portray the views and experiences of teachers on sex education from different countries who work with individuals with developmental disabilities (IDD). Thirty-two teachers from 11 countries selected via multi-stage sampling voluntarily responded to a structured questionnaire with four open-ended questions. Findings show that 56.2% have never provided sex education to IDD during their teaching tenure. We found that teachers who worked in different countries included different content categories in their curricula. About half of the teachers (40.6%) reported that they did not use any specific method or technique in delivering sex education, whereas all stated that they needed support in the process. Findings show that teachers in different countries have different experiences and viewpoints regarding sex education. The most plausible reason for such a variation is the variability in the conceptualization and content of sex education across countries. Therefore, we conclude that the content, as well as the delivery of sex education, is heavily influenced by the social, cultural, and religious structure of the country where teachers and students live.