“I'm Not Sure We're Ready for This …”: Working With Families Toward Facilitating Healthy Sexuality for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Navigating adolescence can be extremely difficult, especially for teens who are also dealing with the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Adolescence can also be a difficult time period for parents who struggle to know how best to support their teen. The present study aimed to (a) acquire information via focus groups about the concerns and service needs of parents regarding the sexuality development of their youth with ASDs and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week parent sexuality-education curriculum. Themes that emerged from the parent focus groups are discussed along with outcomes from the parent education curriculum.