Relationships and Sexuality: How is a Young Adult with an Intellectual Disability Supposed to Navigate? (original) (raw)

Abstract

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have historically not had access to sexual education curriculums. Furthermore, while parents are often hesitant to provide instruction themselves, all stakeholders acknowledge that this population is at a high risk for sexual abuse. This population does have sexual feelings and the desire to have relationships with others. Therefore a need for accurate information on this topic to stay safe and healthy is imperative. This study focused on evaluating a curriculum over 3 years, with a total of 53 participants with a mean age of 20.68 years old. The curriculum included topics on relationships and boundaries, anatomy, sexual intercourse, sexual transmitted infections, and abuse red flags. The results include statistically significance for pre and posttest for the intervention groups, with no significance for the control group. Interviews with participants reveal socially validity of the topics. The discussion section highlights the importance of this subject for the participants and underscores the demand for additional replication. Future research should consider assessments and maintenance of skills learned.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bernet, D.J., Ogletree, R.J.: Women with intellectual disabilities talk about their perceptions of sex. J. Intellect. Disabil. Res. 57(3), 240–249 (2013)
    Article Google Scholar
  2. Blanchett, W.J., Wolfe, P.S.: A review of sexuality education curricula: meeting the sexuality education needs of individuals with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities. Res. Pract. Pers. Severe Disabil. 27(1), 43–57 (2002)
    Article Google Scholar
  3. Casteel, C., Martin, S.L., Smith, J.B., Gurka, K.K., Kupper, L.L.: National study of physical and sexual assault among women with disabilities. Injury Prev. 14, 87–90 (2008). doi:10.1136/ip.2007.016451
    Article Google Scholar
  4. Corona, L.L., Fox, S.A., Christodulu, K.V., Worlock, J.A.: Providing education on sexuality and relationships to adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their parents. Sex. Disabil. 34, 199–214 (2016). doi:10.1007/21119501594246
    Article Google Scholar
  5. Creswell, J.W.: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 4th edn. Pearson, New York (2012)
    Google Scholar
  6. Duguay, L.: Teaching Sexual Health to Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Oak Hill, Hartford (2013)
    Google Scholar
  7. Gougeon, N.: Sexuality education for students with intellectual disabilities, a critical pedagogical approach: outing the ignored curriculum. Sex Educ. 9, 277–291 (2009)
    Article Google Scholar
  8. Gucker, M., Mastropieri, M.A., Scruggs, T.E.: Personalizing research: special educators’ awareness of evidence-based practice. Exceptionality 24(2), 63–78 (2016)
    Article Google Scholar
  9. Harader, D., Fullwood, H., Hawthorne, M.: Sexuality among adolescents with moderate disabilities: promoting positive sexual development. Prev. Res. 16(4), 17–20 (2009)
    Google Scholar
  10. Lofgren-Martenson, L.: “I want to do it right!”: a pilot study of Swedish sex education and young people with intellectual disabilities. Sex. Disabil. 30(2), 209–225 (2012)
    Article Google Scholar
  11. Lumley, V.A., Scotti, J.R.: Supporting the sexuality of adults with mental retardation: current status and future directions. J. Posit. Behav. Interv. 3, 109–119 (2001). doi:10.1177/109830070100300208
    Article Google Scholar
  12. Martin, S.L., Ray, N., Sotres-Alvarez, D., Kupper, L.L., Moracco, K.E., Dickens, P.A.: Physical and sexual assault of women with disabilities. Violence Against Women 12, 823–837 (2006). doi: 10.1177/1077801206292672
    Article PubMed Google Scholar
  13. Murphy, N.A., Elias, E.R.: Sexuality of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Pediatrics 118, 398–403 (2006). doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1115
    Article PubMed Google Scholar
  14. Povilaitiené, N., Radzeviciené, L.: Sex education of adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities in the educational and social environment: parents’ and teachers’ attitude. Spec. Educ. 2(29), 17–26 (2013)
    Google Scholar
  15. Pownall, J.D., Jahoda, A., Hastings, R.P.: Sexuality and sex education of adolescents with intellectual disability: Mother’s attitudes, experiences, and support needs. Intellect. Dev. Disabil. 50(2), 140–153 (2012). doi:10.1352/1934-9556-50.2.140
    Article PubMed Google Scholar
  16. Schaafsma, D., Kok, G., Stoffelen, J.M.T., Curfs, L.M.G.: Identifying effective methods for teaching sex education to individuals with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. J. Sex Res. 52, 412–432 (2015). doi:10.1080/00224499.2014.919373
    Article PubMed Google Scholar
  17. Sexuality Information Education Center of the United States (SIECUS): Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education, 3rd edn. Retrieved on 24 May 2015 at www.siecus.org (2004)
  18. Sinclair, J., Unruh, D., Lindstrom, L., Scanlon, D.: Barriers to sexuality for individuals with Intellectual and developmental disabilities: a literature review. Educ. Train. Autism Dev. Disabil. 50(1), 3–16 (2015)
    Google Scholar
  19. Travers, J., Whitby, P.S., Tincani, M., Boutot, E.A.: Alignment of sexuality education with self-determination for people with significant disabilities: a review of research and future directions. Educ. Train. Autism Dev. Disabil. 49(2), 232–247 (2014)
    Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. George Mason University, 4400 University Drive MS 1F2, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
    H. J. Graff, R. E. Moyher, J. Bair, C. Foster, M. E. Gorden & J. Clem

Authors

  1. H. J. Graff
  2. R. E. Moyher
  3. J. Bair
  4. C. Foster
  5. M. E. Gorden
  6. J. Clem

Corresponding author

Correspondence toR. E. Moyher.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The first two authors, Dr. Graff and Dr. Moyher were asked to be on Oak Hill’s Advisory Board to assist with revisions of some of their publications. Oak Hill is the organization that published positive choices—the curriculum evaluated in this article. We have not been asked to revise this particular curriculum. Also, we were asked to be on their Advisory Board after the completion of this study. Therefore, we do not believe this is a conflict of interest, but felt it should be stated.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Graff, H.J., Moyher, R.E., Bair, J. et al. Relationships and Sexuality: How is a Young Adult with an Intellectual Disability Supposed to Navigate?.Sex Disabil 36, 175–183 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-017-9499-3

Download citation

Keywords