The evaluation os sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities: construction and description of a semi-structured interview

Main Article Content

M.D. Gil Llario
R. Ballester Arnal
O. Fernández García
V. Morell Mengual

Abstract

Although people with intellectual disabilities experience the same need for intimacy as the rest, a series of social barriers impede the expression of their sexuality, encouraging them to be perceived as asexual beings. For this reason, for a long time the voices of people with disabilities have not been heard, which means that there is currently a shortage of assessment tools to explore the different aspects of sexuality of this group, taking into account its limitations in literacy and understanding. The objective of this study is to prepare a reliable and valid semi-structured interview that takes into account the characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities and enables the evaluation of their sexual behaviour. This instrument, which has been administered to 360 people with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities between 19 and 55 years old, is made up of 34 items (26 with a closed response and 8 with an open response) grouped into 4 dimensions: sexual behaviour (19 items), preventive behaviours (3 items), information received on sexuality (6 items) and experiences of sexual abuse (6 items). In the process of constructing-validating this interview, a group of experts was involved who analysed its format and content in different phases. The final version has an acceptable reliability ( ✔ =.73). This study has shown not only the complexity of preparing a semi-structured interview to explore different aspects of the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities, but also the importance of the professionals in charge of its application having the necessary training.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Gil Llario, M., Ballester Arnal, R., Fernández García, O., & Morell Mengual, V. (2020). The evaluation os sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities: construction and description of a semi-structured interview. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology. Revista INFAD De Psicología., 1(1), 379–392. https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2020.n1.v1.1795
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

M.D. Gil Llario, Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación Universitat de València, Valencia, España

Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación
Universitat de València, Valencia, España

R. Ballester Arnal, Dpto de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, España

Dpto de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología
Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, España

O. Fernández García, Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación Universitat de València, Valencia, España

Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación
Universitat de València, Valencia, España

V. Morell Mengual, Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación Universitat de València, Valencia, España

Dpto de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación
Universitat de València, Valencia, España

References

Bernert D.J. y Ogletree R.J. (2013) Women with intellectual disabilities talk about their perceptions of sex. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 57, 240–9. doi:10.1111/j.1365 2788.2011.01529.x.

Borawska-Charko, M., Rohleder, P. y Finlay, W.M. (2016). The Sexual Health Knowledge of People with Intellectual Disabilities: a Review. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 14, 393–409.

Díaz I.M., Gil M.D., Ballester R., Morell V.J. y Molero R.J. (2014) Knowledge, attitudes and sexual behavior in adults with intellectual disabilities. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 1, 415–22. doi: 10.17060/ijodaep.2014.n1.v3.519.

Franco, D. G., Cardoso, J. y Neto, I. (2012) Attitudes towards affectivity and sexuality of people with intellectual disability. Sexuality and Disability, 30, 261–87. doi:10.1007/s11195-012-9260-x.

Friedman, C., Arnold, C.K., Owen, A.L., y Sandman, L. (2014).

‘Remember our voices are our tools’: Sexual self advocacy as defined by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sexuality and Disability, 32, 515–532.

Gil-Llario, M.D., Ballester-Arnal, R., Fernández-García, O., Caballero-Gascón, L. y Morell-Mengual, V. (2018). La evaluación del abuso sexual en personas con discapacidad intelectual: proceso de construcción y validación de un instrumento de autoinforme. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 1(2), 111-118.

Gil-Llario, M.D. y Díaz-Rodríguez, I. (2013). Análisis del comportamiento sexual, así como de las necesidades y los deseos sexuales de un colectivo de discapacitados intelectuales adultos (tesis de postgrado). Universitat de València, Valencia.

Gil Llario, M.D., Morell Mengual, V., Ballester Arnal, R., y Díaz Rodríguez, I. (2018). The experience of sexuality in adults with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(1), 72-80. doi: 10.1111/jir.12455

Karellou, I. (2017) “It Is Only Natural….”:Attitudes of Young People With Intellectual Disabilities Toward Sexuality in Greece. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(3), 217-236, doi: 10.1080/19315864.2016.1278291

Jahoda, A., y Pownall, J. (2014). Sexual understanding, sources of information and social networks; the reports of young people with intellectual disabilities and their non-disabled peers. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58, 430–441. doi:10.1111/jir.12040

Kijak R. (2013) The sexuality of adults with intellectual disability in poland. Sexuality and Disability, 31, 109–23. doi: 10.1007/s11195-013-9294-8..

Kramers-Olen, A. (2017). Quantitative assessment of sexual knowledge and consent capacity in people with mild to moderate intellectual disability. South African Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 367-378.

McDaniels, B. y Fleming, A. (2016) Sexuality education and intellectual disability: time to address the challenge. Sexuality and Disability, 34, 215–25. doi: 10.1007/s11195-016-9427-y.

Olavarrieta, S., Darín, L., Suárez, P., Tur, N., Besteiro, B. y Gómez-Jarabo, G. (2013) Attitudes towards sexuality, sterilization, parenting and nurture skills of people with intellectual disability: a preliminary study. Siglo Cero, 44, 55–69.

Parchomiuk M. (2012) Specialists and sexuality of individuals with disability. Sexuality and Disability, 30, 407–19. doi: 10.1007/s11195-011-9249-x.

Recio, M., Galindo, L., Cendra, J., Alemany, A., Martorell, A, y Villaró, A. (2014) Abuso y discapacidad intelectual: Orientaciones para la prevención y la actuación. FEAPS Madrid y Fundación Carmen Pardo-Valcarce

Schaafsma, D., Kok, G., Stoffelen, J.M.T., y Curfs, L.M.G. (2017). People with intellectual disabilities talk about sexuality: Implications for the development of sex education. Sexuality and Disability, 35, 21–38.