Are there differences between attitudes towards the behaviour sexuality of people with disabilities and those of the professionals who work with them?

Abstract

Attitudes towards sexuality are one of the most important cognitive-emotional determinants of sexual functioning. In this sense, the sexuality of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) is influenced by myths, stereotypes and prejudices that encourage the perpetuation of certain negative attitudes and limit their sexual experiences. The aim of this study is to analyze the attitudes towards sexuality in people with intellectual disabilities and in professionals who work with them. For this purpose, we use a brief scale of attitudes towards sexual behaviour in a sample of 300 people with mild or moderate intellectual disability (ID), aged between 19 and 55 years old and 100 professionals, aged between 20 and 66 years old. Results reveal that 34.6% of people with ID have conservative attitudes, 55.3% moderate attitudes, and 8.3% liberal attitudes. On the other hand, 14% of the professionals present moderate attitudes and 86% liberal attitudes. In general, professionals have more liberal attitudes in all sexual behaviours (kissing, fondling and/or oral sex), except in vaginal intercourse where people with IDs have more erotophilic attitudes. In conclusion, people with ID report mostly conservative attitudes although professionals have mostly liberal attitudes. For this reason, an attitudinal module in affective-sexual education programs for people with ID should be implemented, because this variable has a significant impact on sexual health.

Keywords

• actitudes
• conducta sexual
• discapacidad intelectual
• profesionales