Sex: What Is the Big Deal? Exploring Individuals’ with Intellectual Disabilities Experiences with Sex Education

Abstract

This article offers perspectives shared by self-advocates in the first phase of a community-based participatory research project untaken to address barriers that individuals with intellectual disabilities face with respect to sexual health knowledge. Using descriptive qualitative methods, we interviewed 19 individuals with intellectual disability about their experiences and knowledge related to sexual health. The research question guiding this project was: What are self-advocates’ with intellectual disabilities experiences learning about sexual health and sexuality? The findings highlight that participants faced barriers and lack of access to sexual health education, and while they learned about sexual health through formal sexual health education, frequently this knowledge came through lived experience. Finally, the findings underscore that participants knew what they wanted with respect to sexual health education and offered recommendations. The importance of accessible sexual health education for self-advocates that supports their rights and desires to express their sexuality and sexual agency is highlighted.

Using Concept Mapping to Explore the Perspectives of People with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disabilities Toward Sexual Health

“…Hence, for support and sex education to be successful, they must be aligned with the individual needs of people with ID [ 12 , 28 ]. The fact that people with mild to borderline ID prioritize dating and relationships, as shown in this and other studies [ 67 ], indicates that support and education should also prioritize these social dimensions. Further research is thus needed to explore how to develop effective forms of sexual support and education, under which conditions and provided by whom, to better promote sexual health for people with mild to moderate ID as well as to understand their motivation for attending such support and education.…”

Romance, Relationships, and Rights: Ethical Considerations and Dilemmas in a Research-Based Theater Project With Self-Advocate Co-Creators and Actors

“…From the beginning, we framed this study as critical participatory action research (CPAR) (Kemmis et al, 2014) as proposed to the Vancouver Foundation, our funding body, and approved by our university Institutional Ethics Board (IEB). Yet retrospectively, we see Phase 1 as traditional qualitative research (Hole et al, in press). Phase 2 demonstrates CPAR where SA co-creators’ shared ownership for the development of the content of the production drawing from their lived experience, identifying the messages, and perspectives they wanted their peers, families, caregivers, and society to receive and shaping the form of the theater production.…”

A tool for assessing sexual knowledge of people with Intellectual disabilities in Norway

“…Hole, Schnellert (9) also found that self-advocates with intellectual disabilities pointed out their own lack of sexual education. In cases where education was offered, it focused on risks, biology, and sexual consent, but not positive sexuality (9). Professional stakeholders believe that harmful sexual behaviour and abuse could be avoided if people with intellectual disabilities were given the opportunity to acquire sexual knowledge (10).…”