Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study
Although most persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) wish to have romantic and/or sexual relationships, little is known about self-report sexuality of adolescents/young adults with ASD. In this exploratory study, 172 male and female adolescents/young adults (68 with ASD and 104 without ASD)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685256/full |
| _version_ | 1818607735407640576 |
|---|---|
| author | Christian C. Joyal Julie Carpentier Suzie McKinnon Suzie McKinnon Claude L. Normand Claude L. Normand Marie-Hélène Poulin Marie-Hélène Poulin |
| author_facet | Christian C. Joyal Julie Carpentier Suzie McKinnon Suzie McKinnon Claude L. Normand Claude L. Normand Marie-Hélène Poulin Marie-Hélène Poulin |
| author_sort | Christian C. Joyal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although most persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) wish to have romantic and/or sexual relationships, little is known about self-report sexuality of adolescents/young adults with ASD. In this exploratory study, 172 male and female adolescents/young adults (68 with ASD and 104 without ASD) completed an online version of the Sexual Behavior Scale-Third edition. Although many more similarities than differences were observed between the groups for views and desires about romantic relationships (e.g., wishing to have a girlfriend/boyfriend), fewer participants with ASD (mostly boys) had experience with a variety of sexual/dyadic behaviors, and approximately half of girls with ASD reported negative sexual experiences. Significantly higher rates of participants with ASD felt their knowledge about sexuality was limited and found it difficult to understand sexual education compared with typically developing (TD) participants. Significantly lower rates of participants with ASD reported that they identify to their assigned gender compared with TD participants. Multiple regressions revealed that being older at first diagnosis and possessing better knowledge about sexuality were significant predictors of both positive and negative sexual experience. This study explores strengths and challenges related with the sexual health of adolescents/young adults with ASD and implications for clinical and educational practice are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:31:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-30b51fc3658841eea081593e61357a75 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:31:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-30b51fc3658841eea081593e61357a752022-12-21T22:28:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-06-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.685256685256Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory StudyChristian C. Joyal0Julie Carpentier1Suzie McKinnon2Suzie McKinnon3Claude L. Normand4Claude L. Normand5Marie-Hélène Poulin6Marie-Hélène Poulin7Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, CanadaDepartment of Psychoeducation, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, CanadaIntegrated University Health and Social Services Centre (IUHSSC) of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, IUHSSC Bas-Saint-Laurent and IUHSSC Côte-Nord, Saguenay, QC, CanadaIntellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Institute, IUHSSC of Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, Trois-Rivières, QC, CanadaIntellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Institute, IUHSSC of Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, Trois-Rivières, QC, CanadaDepartment of Psychoeducation and Psychology, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, CanadaIntellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Institute, IUHSSC of Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec, Trois-Rivières, QC, CanadaDepartment of Psychoeducation, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, CanadaAlthough most persons with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) wish to have romantic and/or sexual relationships, little is known about self-report sexuality of adolescents/young adults with ASD. In this exploratory study, 172 male and female adolescents/young adults (68 with ASD and 104 without ASD) completed an online version of the Sexual Behavior Scale-Third edition. Although many more similarities than differences were observed between the groups for views and desires about romantic relationships (e.g., wishing to have a girlfriend/boyfriend), fewer participants with ASD (mostly boys) had experience with a variety of sexual/dyadic behaviors, and approximately half of girls with ASD reported negative sexual experiences. Significantly higher rates of participants with ASD felt their knowledge about sexuality was limited and found it difficult to understand sexual education compared with typically developing (TD) participants. Significantly lower rates of participants with ASD reported that they identify to their assigned gender compared with TD participants. Multiple regressions revealed that being older at first diagnosis and possessing better knowledge about sexuality were significant predictors of both positive and negative sexual experience. This study explores strengths and challenges related with the sexual health of adolescents/young adults with ASD and implications for clinical and educational practice are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685256/fullautism spectrum disordersexualityadolescentaspergeryoung adult |
| spellingShingle | Christian C. Joyal Julie Carpentier Suzie McKinnon Suzie McKinnon Claude L. Normand Claude L. Normand Marie-Hélène Poulin Marie-Hélène Poulin Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study Frontiers in Psychiatry autism spectrum disorder sexuality adolescent asperger young adult |
| title | Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full | Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study |
| title_fullStr | Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study |
| title_short | Sexual Knowledge, Desires, and Experience of Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Study |
| title_sort | sexual knowledge desires and experience of adolescents and young adults with an autism spectrum disorder an exploratory study |
| topic | autism spectrum disorder sexuality adolescent asperger young adult |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.685256/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christiancjoyal sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT juliecarpentier sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT suziemckinnon sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT suziemckinnon sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT claudelnormand sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT claudelnormand sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT mariehelenepoulin sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy AT mariehelenepoulin sexualknowledgedesiresandexperienceofadolescentsandyoungadultswithanautismspectrumdisorderanexploratorystudy |