Sexuality in children and adolescents with disabilities

Abstract

This review presents a discussion of the sexual development of children and adolescents with disabilities, described in the framework of body structure and function, individual activities, and societal perspectives presented in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Issues of sexual development, gynecological care and contraception, sexual functioning, societal barriers, sexual victimization, and sexuality education are presented. Overall, adolescents with disabilities seem to be participating in sexual relationships without adequate knowledge and skills to keep them healthy, safe, and satisfied. Although their sexual development may be hindered both by functional limitations and by intentional or unintentional societal barriers, the formal and informal opportunities for teenagers with disabilities to develop into sexually expressive and fulfilled persons do exist. Health care providers are urged to increase their awareness of this unmet need and to implement strategies that promote the physical, emotional, social, and psychosexual independence of children, teenagers, and young adults with disabilities.

Psychosexual Functioning of Cognitively-able Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared to Typically Developing Peers: The Development and Testing of the Teen Transition Inventory- a Self- and Parent Report Questionnaire on Psychosexual Functioning

“…Mack et al 2010), which indicated that having ASD is a unique contributing factor to peer relationship problems. Difficulties in this area may become increasingly problematic when reaching adolescence (Murphy and Young 2005), as peer relationships become increasingly important (La Greca and Harrison 2005) and complex (Laugeson et al 2012). The difficulties with intimacy as well as rejection by peers which adolescents with ASD reported may lead to loneliness, social anxiety and depression (Eussen 2015; La Greca and Harrison 2005) as well as frustration (Hellemans et al 2010) which have been related to problems such as anxiety and sexual delinquency (Marshall 2010).…”

What young people with spina bifida want to know about sex and are not being told

“…The World Health Organization (2006) has identified that adequate sex education is a right of every individual, regardless of disability, and that without it, the physical and emotional health of the adolescent is at risk (Murphy and Young, 2005). Yet the questions and concerns being expressed by participants in this study indicate that sex education can be inaccessible to young people with special needs, and they do not seem to receive adequate specific information regarding their sexual health and well-being.…”

The experience of sexuality in adults with intellectual disability

“…People with ID have the same sexual desires and needs as those without disability (Borawska-Charko, Rohleder & Finlay 2016), yet their sexuality has been marked by a number of myths, stereotypes and false beliefs that despite lacking any scientific evidence to support them, have fostered negative attitudes towards this social group and curbed their right to achieve a free and adequate expression of their sexuality (Franco, Cardoso & Neto 2012;Olavarrieta et al 2013). A large part of society has generally considered them to be asexual beings that are unable to make appropriate decisions about their sexuality due to the fact that they need support, protection or supervision (Murphy & Young 2005;Swango-Wilson 2009). As a result, they have often been sterilised, repressed or institutionalised with the aim of avoiding sexual relationships and preventing pregnancies (McDaniels & Fleming 2016).…”