Research article

EFFECT OF AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION FOR MOTHERS' PROTECTION OF THEIR CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES FROM SEXUAL ABUSE

Safaa Mohamed Metwaly (1), Mohammed Fayez J Alharbi(2), Seham Abdelrhman Alhanafy(3), Safa Mohamed Amin Mohamed(4), Samia Farouk Mahmoud(5)

Online First: August 30, 2022


Background: Children with intellectual disabilities are at higher risk of sexual abuse and harassment than their peers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention for mothers' protection of their children with intellectual disabilities from sexual abuse. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Setting: This study was conducted at two intellectual education schools in Zagazig, and Dierb-Negm which were randomly chosen. Sampling: A purposeful sample of 113 mothers who have children with mild intellectual disability were selected from the previously mentioned settings. Tools: Three tools were utilized to obtain the data needed to complete the study: Mother’s knowledge questionnaire, Attitude towards child sexual abuse prevention, and Parents’ practices regarding prevention of child sexual abuse. Results: The mothers had high level of knowledge, positive attitudes and adequate practice (80.5%, 91.2%, & 83.2% respectively) post intervention versus pre intervention (41.6%, 31.9%, & 27.4% respectively) with highly statistically significant differences. Moreover, in a multivariate analysis, total mothers' knowledge was a significant positive predictor for mothers' attitudes. Conclusion: The educational intervention had a highly statistically significant beneficial influence on the studied mothers' knowledge, practice and attitudes toward protection of their children from sexual abuse. Implications: educational intervention about prevention of child sexual abuse should be provided to all mothers attending intellectual education schools on a regular and ongoing basis by qualified health professionals.

Keywords

Children, Educational program, Intellectual Disabilities, Mothers, Prevention, Sexual Abuse