Are there differences between attitudes towards the behaviour sexuality of people with disabilities and those of the professionals who work with them?
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
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.
Downloads
Article Details
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
NoDerivatives — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
References
Álvarez, I., Vega, V., Spencer, H., González, F. y Arriagada, R. (2019). Adultos chilenos con discapacidad intelectual: creencias, actitudes y percepciones parentales sobre su autodeterminación. Siglo Cero, 50(2), 51-72. doi: 10.42201/scero20195025172
American Psychiatric Association (2013). DSM-5. Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales. Madrid: Panamericana.
Azzopardi-Lane, C. y Callus, A. M. (2015). Constructing sexual identities: people with intellectual disability talking about sexuality. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(1), 32-37. doi:10.1111/bld.12083
Bandura, A. (2012). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control (12 ed.). New York: W.H. Freeman.
Bazzo, G., Nota, L., Soresi, S., Ferrari, L. y Minnes, P. (2007). Attitudes of Social Service Providers towards the Sexuality of Individuals with Intellectual Disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), 110-115. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2006.00308.x
Brown, R. D. y Pirtle, T. (2008). Beliefs of professional and family caregivers about the sexuality of individuals with intellectual disabilities: examining beliefs using a Q methodology approach. Sex Education, 8(1), 59-75. doi: 10.1080/14681810701811829
Cezar, D. M., Figueiredo, V., Ferigato, S. y Agostini, R. (2016). Personas con discapacidad y sus roles ocupacionales: trabajo, familia, independencia y participación social. Revista Chilena de Terapia Ocupacional, 16(2), 107-117. doi:10.5354/0719-5346.2016.44755
Chou, Y. C., Jane, Z. Y. y Pu, C. Y. (2015). Attitudes Toward Male and Female Sexuality Among Men and Women with Intellectual Disabilities. Women & Health, 55(6), 663-678. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2015.1039183
Cobo, C. (2012). Protocolo sobre relaciones interpersonales y sexualidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual, trastornos del espectro autista y otras discapacidades con déficit cognitivo usuarias de centros residenciales. Recuperado de http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/export/drupaljda/Personas_Discapacidad_Protocolo_sobre_relaciones_interpersonales_y_sexualidad_pdint.pdf
Díaz-Rodríguez, I. (2017). Construcción de la salud sexual y análisis de su influencia en la calidad de vida y prevención de abusos sexuales en personas adultas con discapacidad intelectual. Tesis doctoral, Universitat de València, Valencia, España.
Díaz-Rodríguez, I., Gil-Llario, M. D., Morell-Mengual, V., Salmerón Sánchez, P. y Ruiz-Palomino, E. (2016). Actitudes hacia la sexualidad: ¿difieren las personas con discapacidad intelectual de la población general? International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 1(1), 235-242. doi: 10.17060/ijodaep.2016.n1.v1.209
Ditchman, N., Easton, A. B., Batchos, E., Rafajko, S. y Shah, N. (2017). The Impact of Culture on Attitudes Toward the Sexuality of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Sexuality and Disability 35, 245-260. doi: 10.1007/s11195-017-9484-x
Eastgate, G., Scheermeyer, E.,van Driel, M.y Lennox, N. (2012). Intellectual disability,sexualityand sexualabuse prevention: A study of family members and support workers. Australian Family Physician, 41(3), 135-139.
Fishbein, M. y Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Franco, D. G., Cardoso, J. y Neto, I. (2012). Attitudes Towards Affectivity and Sexuality of People with Intellectual Disability. Sexuality and Disability, 30, 261-287. doi: 10.1007/s11195-012-9260-x
Gil, M. D., Ballester, R., Caballero, L. y Escalera, C. (2019). Programa SALUDIVERSEX. Programa de educación afectivo-sexual para adultos con diversidad funcional intelectual. Madrid: Pirámide.
Gil-Llario, Fernández-García, Castro-Calvo, Caballero-Gascón y Ballester-Arnal (2020). Assesment of attitudes toward sexuality of people with intellectual disability. Manuscrito enviado para publicación.
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
Herbenick, D., Reece, M., Schick, V., Sanders, S. A., Dodge, B. y Fortenberry, J. D. (2010). Sexual behavior in the united states: Results from a national probability sample of men and women ages 14-94. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(S5), 255-265. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02012.x
Kijak, R. (2013). The sexuality of adults with intellectual disability in Poland. Sexuality and Disability, 31(2), 109-123. doi: /10.1007/s11195-013-9294-8
McDaniels, B. y Fleming, A. (2016). Sexuality education and intellectual disability: Time to ad-dress the challenge. Sexuality and Disability, 34(2), 215-225. doi: 10.1007/s11195-016-9427-y
Meaney-Tavares, R. y Gavidia-Payne, S. (2012). Staff characteristics and attitudes towards the sexuality of people with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 37(3), 269-273. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2012.701005
Morell-Mengual, V., Gil-Llario, M. D., Díaz-Rodríguez, I. y Caballero-Gascón, L. (2017). Actitudes de padres, profesionales y población general hacia la sexualidad de las personas con discapacidad física e intelectual. International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology, 4(1), 173-183. doi: 10.17060/ijodaep.2017.n1.v4.1040
Murphy, N.y Young, P. C. (2005). Sexualityin children and adolescents with disabilities. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 47(9), 640-644.
Navarro, Y., Torrico, M. E. y López, M. J. (2010). Programa de intervención psicosexual en personas con discapacidad intelectual. Educación y diversidad, 4(2), 75-92.
Olavarrieta, S., Darín, L., Suárez, P., Tur, N., Besteiro, B.y Gómez-Jarabo, G. (2013). Actitudes hacialasexualidad, esterilización, maternidad/paternidad y habilidades de crianza de personas con discapacidad intelectual: Un estudio preliminar. Siglo Cero, 44(4), 55-69.
Organización Mundial de la Salud (2019). CIE-11. Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades. Recuperado de https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/es
Pelleboer Gunnink, H. A., Van Oorsouw, W. M. W. J., Van Weeghel, J., & Embregts, P. J. C. M. (2017). Mainstream health professionals’ stigmatising attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 61(5), 411-434. doi: 10.1111/jir.12353
Pereira-Silva, N. L., Furtado, A. V. y Andrade, J. F. (2018). La Inclusión en el Trabajo desde la Perspectiva de las Personas con Discapacidad Intelectual. Trends in Psychology, 26(2), 1003-1016. doi:10.9788/tp2018.2-17pt
Phasha, T. N. y Runo, M. (2017). Sexuality Education in Schools for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities in Kenya: Empowerment or Disempowerment? Sexuality and Disability, 35(3), 353-370. doi: 10.1007/s11195-017-9480-1
Pownall, J. D., Jahoda, A. y Hastings, R. P. (2012). Sexuality and sex education of adolescents with intellectual disability: mothers’ attitudes, experiences, and support needs. Intellectual and developmental disabilities, 50(2), 140-154. doi: 10.1352/1934-9556-50.2.140
Scotti, J. R., Slack, B. S., Bowman, R. A. y Morris, T. L. (1996). College student attitudes concerning the sexuality of persons with mental retardation: Development of the perceptions of sexuality scale. Sexuality and Disability, 14, 249-263. doi: 10.1007/BF02590098
Siebelink, E. M., de Jong, M. D. T., Taal, E. y Roelvink, L. (2006). Sexuality and People with Intellectual Disabilities: Assessmentof Knowledge, Attitudes, Experiences, and Needs. Mental retardation, 44(4), 283-294. doi: 10.1352/0047-6765(2006)44[283:SAPWID]2.0.CO;2
Swango-Wilson, A. (2009). Perception of sex education for individuals with developmental and cognitive disability: A four cohort study. Sexuality and Disability, 27(4), 223-228. doi: 10.1007/s11195-009-9140-1
Young, R., Gore, N. y McCarthy, M. (2012). Staff attitudes towards sexuality in relation to gender of people with intellectual disability: A qualitative study. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 37(4), 343-347. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2012.704983
Zaikman, Y. y Marks, M. (2014). Ambivalent Sexism and the Sexual Double Standard. Sex Roles 71, 333-344. doi: 10.1007/s11199-014-0417-1