Parent Perspectives: Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene Management for Autistic Daughters.
Importance: Parents of autistic daughters may be able to provide insight into how to address menstruation and menstrual hygiene management from their lived experiences. Menstrual hygiene management is considered an activity of daily living that is within the scope of occupational therapy practice. O...
| Published in: | American Journal of Occupational Therapy Vol. 79; no. 6; pp. 1 - 12 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts Journal Article |
| Published: |
American Occupational Therapy Association
Nov/Dec2025
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=189032064&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 189032064 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 02729490 44I jtl: American Journal of Occupational Therapy issn: 02729490 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Nov/Dec2025 vid: 79 iid: 6 pid: 6680 pub: American Occupational Therapy Association place: North Bethesda, Maryland artinfo: ui: 189032064 189032064 189032064 10.5014/ajot.2025.051141 189032064 ppf: 1 ppct: 11 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Parent Perspectives: Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene Management for Autistic Daughters. aug: au: Jones, Glynnis Helsley, Samantha Fox, Rebecah Tumminello, Ava Grasso, Alexandra Potter, Ann Marie Wynarczuk, Kimberly Reinson, Carol affil: Glynnis Jones, OTD, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy, Moravian University, Bethlehem, PA sug: subj: Parental Attitudes Evaluation Menstruation Psychosocial Factors Hygiene Autism Spectrum Disorder Daughters Menstrual Hygiene Products Human Male Female Adult Middle Age Aged Child Adolescence Qualitative Studies Phenomenological Research Adoptive Parents Activities of Daily Living Occupational Therapy Practice Convenience Sample Snowball Sample Thematic Analysis Semi-Structured Interview Interview Guides Biological Parents Women's Health Services Data Analysis Software Descriptive Statistics Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Child: 6-12 years Adolescent: 13-18 years Male Female ab: Importance: Parents of autistic daughters may be able to provide insight into how to address menstruation and menstrual hygiene management from their lived experiences. Menstrual hygiene management is considered an activity of daily living that is within the scope of occupational therapy practice. Objective: To investigate the perspectives of parents of autistic daughters and their firsthand experiences of menstruation and menstrual hygiene management. Design: This was a qualitative, phenomenological study that used convenience and snowball sampling and an inductive thematic analysis of transcripts of virtual semistructured interviews. Trustworthiness was established through audit trails, member checking, and the use of an interview guide. Setting: Interviews were conducted through Zoom at the participants' preferred time and location. Participants: Parents of autistic daughters (N = 8): seven biological mothers and one adoptive father. Results: Seven themes emerged from the interviews: (1) inadequate expertise in women's health for autistic individuals among medical professionals, (2) parental dependency, (3) intensified sensory experiences before and during menstruation, (4) limited menstrual awareness and understanding in individuals with ASD, (5) menstrual product preferences, (6) parental feelings about managing menstruation, and (7) strategies that worked for managing menstruation. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that parents face significant challenges when caring for autistic daughters during their menstrual cycles. Occupational therapy practitioners may support autistic individuals as well as their parents and caregivers in this process by having a deeper understanding of their experiences. Plain-Language Summary: This study sheds light on the perspectives of parents of autistic daughters on the topic of menstruation and menstrual hygiene management, which are considered activities of daily living. Occupational therapy practitioners may gain knowledge from these firsthand perspectives to inform future occupational therapy practice. Menstruation and menstrual hygiene management are important activities of daily living that are not addressed well for individuals living with autism. Occupational therapy practitioners can support autistic individuals and their caregivers in improving the participation and performance in menstruation and menstrual hygiene management. Occupational therapy practitioners can support autistic individuals as well as their parents and caregivers with menstruation and menstrual hygiene management. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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