Published online Nov 19, 2023. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v13.i11.958
Peer-review started: June 7, 2023
First decision: July 19, 2023
Revised: July 27, 2023
Accepted: August 7, 2023
Article in press: August 7, 2023
Published online: November 19, 2023
Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may encounter many difficulties with their menstrual cycles. Potential challenges that adolescents with ASD may face include understanding physical changes, coping with symptoms, emotional sensitivity, communication, personal care, and hygiene. They may have difficulty dealing with newly emerging situations such as foul odor, blood flow situation/feeling, and using sanitary pads, especially during menstruation.
One of the important problems faced by adolescents with ASD during the menstrual period is to practice menstrual hygiene skills. This study was carried out in order to teach this skill to adolescents with ASD and to support their independence.
This study was planned to evaluate the effect of menstruation hygiene skill training given to adolescents with ASD on the ability to change and wear menstrual pads.
This study was conducted in three special education centers in the provinces of Istanbul and Muğla between April 2022 and February 2023, using the “Single Group Pre-Test and Post-Test Model,” which is one of the semi-experimental study methods. Before the training, the Adolescent and Parent Information Form and the Adolescent-Specific Menstrual Hygiene Skill Registration Form were administered to the participants included in the study through the individual responsible. In the post-test, only the Menstrual Hygiene Skills Registration Form was used. The individuals responsible for the care of the adolescents completed the post-test at home during the adolescent’s first menstrual cycle after training.
The mean age of adolescents was 16.06 ± 0.88 years. The mean age of menarche in adolescents was 13.73 ± 1.09 years, the frequency of menstruation was every 38.60 ± 39.25 d, the mean duration of menstruation was 5.13 ± 0.99 d, and the menstrual cycle of 86.7% of the adolescents was regular. The mothers of 93.3% of the adolescents were responsible for their care, and 53.3% of the adults were high school graduates. The difference between the menstrual hygiene skill scores of adolescents diagnosed with ASD before and after training was statistically significant (P < 0.005).
It was observed that the self-care skills, such as hand washing and perineal cleaning especially in changing hygienic pads, of adolescents diagnosed with ASD increased after the training.
With the successful results of this study, the importance of dividing the menstruation hygiene skill training into more than one step in adolescents with ASD and conducting this training in small groups became evident. In addition, this study was one of the rare studies that increased the menstrual hygiene skills of adolescents with ASD by training groups of two participants with visual methods and demonstration methods.