The efficacy of training program on social skills and sexual knowledge of adolescents with mild intellectual disability

Leila Akrami; Mokhtar Malekpur; Salar Faramarzi; Ahmad Abedi

doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2026.05.022

The efficacy of training program on social skills and sexual knowledge of adolescents with mild intellectual disability

J Pediatr Nurs. 2026 Jun 4:90:9-18. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2026.05.022. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Leila Akrami¹, Mokhtar Malekpur², Salar Faramarzi², Ahmad Abedi²

Affiliations

¹ Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran. Electronic address: lakrami@yahoo.com.
² Professor of Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs, Department of Psychology and Education of Children with Special Needs, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

PMID: 42242085
DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2026.05.022

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is an important time for girls and boys with mild intellectual disability. Increasing sexual knowledge and strengthening social skills requires special attention. Deficiencies in social skills and not receiving training can have a negative effect on interacting with others, gaining sexual knowledge, and presenting correct behaviour in girls and boys with mild intellectual disabilities.

Purpose: The current research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of educational program for mothers and adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities on social skills and sexual knowledge.

Design and methods: The present study is experimental with a pretest-posttest design. 30 boys and 30 girls were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups each consisting of 15 boys and 15 girls along with their mothers. The average age of the adolescents was 13.75 ± 0.84. Both groups completed the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) and Sexual Knowledge (SKQ) questionnaires. The educational program was administered to the experimental group. The intervention program duration was 38 sessions for the adolescents and 12 sessions for the mothers. The obtained data to analyze through multivariate covariance analysis.

Results: Findings revealed that the educational program for adolescents and their mothers had a significant effect on increasing the sexual knowledge (Boys: p < 0.05, η² = 0.987, Girls: p < 0.05, η² = 0.984) and social skills (Boys: p < 0.05, η² = 0.574, Girls: p < 0.05, η² = 0.565) of girls and boys with mild intellectual disability.

Conclusion: Education of mothers and adolescents has a positive effect on improving interpersonal relationships and sexual health. In the present study, offering training sessions for mothers accompanied by the training for the adolescents has been effective in improving both social skills and sexual knowledge.

Implications to practice: In the present study, offering educational program for mothers and adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities has been effective in improving both social skills and sexual knowledge.

Keywords: Adolescent; Education; Intellectual disability; Sexual health; Social skills.