Adolescent boys with an autism spectrum disorder and their experience of sexuality: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Dewinter, Jeroen; Parys, Hanna Van; Vermeiren, Robert; Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs van

doi:10.1177/1362361315627134

Cited by 44 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Finally, we found no relation between sexuality and sexual development on the one hand, and ASD symptoms on the other. However, it should be noted that the literature on sexuality and ASDs in non-delinquent youth consists of both quantitative (e.g., Dewinter et al 2015 ) and qualitative studies (e.g., Dewinter et al 2016 ). To the best of our knowledge, however, sexuality and ASDs amongst JSOs have to date only been studied with a quantitative design, as we have done in the current study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexuality and Autistic-Like Symptoms in Juvenile Sex Offenders: A Follow-Up After 8 Years

Baarsma

Boonmann

Hart-Kerkhoffs

et al. 2016

J Autism Dev Disord

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Juveniles who have committed a sexual offense (JSOs) are thought to have abnormal sexual development, as well as increased ASD symptoms. In the current study, sexual development and behavior, as well as stability of ASD-like symptoms were assessed in a sample of 44 male JSOs (mean age 24.7 ± 1.5 years) 8 years after their sexual offence. JSOs exhibited less knowledge of sexuality, less positive attitudes towards pornography and more often reported having been a victim of verbal sexual intimidation than a matched normal population sample. ASD symptoms were relatively stable over the 8 years follow-up, indicating that social difficulties in JSOs may be part of life-long autistic-like traits. However, ASD symptoms were not related to alterations in sexual development or behavior.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2805-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexuality and Autistic-Like Symptoms in Juvenile Sex Offenders: A Follow-Up After 8 Years

Baarsma

Boonmann

Hart-Kerkhoffs

et al. 2016

J Autism Dev Disord

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“…Prior research on how autistic traits affect autism and sexuality has primarily focused on the impacts of communication and social interaction differences. [13][14][15][16] For example, some autistic people report difficulty forming partnerships due to social communication challenges. 4,15 Autistic research participants also report anxiety related to social expectations of being in a relationship, and uncertainty about how to sexually satisfy their partner.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[13][14][15][16] For example, some autistic people report difficulty forming partnerships due to social communication challenges. 4,15 Autistic research participants also report anxiety related to social expectations of being in a relationship, and uncertainty about how to sexually satisfy their partner. 15 Some also report less com-mon sexual interests and sexual sensory fascinations that may impact sexual relationships.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autistic Narratives of Sensory Features, Sexuality, and Relationships

Gray

Kirby

Holmes

2021

Autism in Adulthood

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Background: Research about the experience of sexuality and intimacy for autistic people has largely excluded the potential influences of autistic sensory features, which are highly common. The aim of this study was to explore how autistic sensory features influence autistic people's experiences of sexuality and relationships, including the impact of low and high neurological threshold sensory patterns and regarding specific sensory modalities. Methods: Utilizing a qualitative approach, we explored autistic people's perspectives about the influences of sensory features on their experiences of sexuality and relationships through existing publicly available narratives (5 books and 13 online forums containing messages from 72 unique usernames) and responses to an openended survey question (N = 49). We used deductive coding based on Dunn's model of sensory processing, as well as inductive coding to identify additional themes about autistic sensory features and sexuality. Results: Our findings indicated that sexual and relationship experiences were related to both sensory sensitivity and sensation seeking (i.e., low and high threshold sensory patterns) across several sensory modalities, including touch, sight, sound, and smell. Sensory features influenced autistic people's sexual and relationship experiences in both positive and negative ways. Examined narratives revealed adaptations and strategies used by autistic people to enhance or enable engagement in sexual activity as well as implications for their sexual identity. Conclusions: Sensory features and their impact on the sexuality and relationship experiences of autistic people should be considered in clinical practice and educational programming. More research is needed to further understand the impact of autistic sensory features on experiences of sexuality and relationships, and to develop effective strategies to promote safe and satisfying engagement, when desired.

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“…There has been limited research into sexual education for autistic individuals relative to other intervention targets, such as social skills or communication (Holmes & Himle, 2014; Kellaher, 2015), in part because, historically, autistic individuals were mistakenly thought of as typically asexual or disinterested in relationships. However, recent literature including autistic youth without intellectual disability (ID) has contradicted this notion and found that sexuality and romantic relationships are important aspects of autistic life (Dewinter, Van Parys, Vermeiren, & van Nieuwenhuizen, 2017; Shattuck et al, 2012). Comparable numbers of autistic adults and adolescents have been found to have the same level of sexual interest and functioning as their TD peers (Byers, Nichols, & Voyer, 2013; Dewinter, Vermeiren, Vanwesenbeeck, Lobbestael, & Van Nieuwenhuizen, 2015; May, Pang, O’Connell, & Williams, 2017).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, parents of autistic youth struggle with how to teach these topics and often leave out discussions on relationships, sexual health and prevention, or general sexuality (Holmes & Himle, 2014). Many parents of autistic youth underestimate their child’s sexual experience and may be unaware of their child’s knowledge about sexuality, which may impact the type and amount of information they provide their child with about sexuality (Dewinter et al, 2017). Therefore, there is an explicit need for resources on sexuality for autistic youth and their families.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a parent-mediated sexual education curriculum for youth with autism spectrum disorders

Pugliese

Ratto

Granader

et al. 2019

Autism

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Youth with autism spectrum disorder can face social-communication challenges related to sexuality, dating, and friendships. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the Supporting Teens with Autism on Relationships program. In total, 84 youth with autism spectrum disorder aged 9 to 18 and their parents participated in this study; two groups received the Supporting Teens with Autism on Relationships program (interventionist-led parent group vs parent self-guided), while an attentional control group received a substance abuse prevention program that included instruction in problem-solving and social skills. Feasibility and acceptability of the Supporting Teens with Autism on Relationships program was high overall. The Supporting Teens with Autism on Relationships program was effective in increasing parent and youth knowledge of sexuality, while the attentional control was not. There was preliminary support for improvement in parenting efficacy related to discussing sexuality with their children. Gains were seen among completers regardless of whether the parent received support from a facilitator. Implications and future directions are discussed.

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Adolescent boys with an autism spectrum disorder and their experience of sexuality: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Cited by 44 publications

References 35 publications

Sexuality and Autistic-Like Symptoms in Juvenile Sex Offenders: A Follow-Up After 8 Years

Sexuality and Autistic-Like Symptoms in Juvenile Sex Offenders: A Follow-Up After 8 Years

Autistic Narratives of Sensory Features, Sexuality, and Relationships

Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a parent-mediated sexual education curriculum for youth with autism spectrum disorders

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