Abstract
This study summarizes existing literature, identifies knowledge gaps, and informs future research on sexuality and intimacy education for individuals with autism. Findings also address the quality and safety of sexuality and intimacy education.
Primary Author and Speaker: Sarah Gray
Additional Authors and Speakers: Jennifer Fortuna
Contributing Authors: Mica Jenrette, Brock Martin, Laureen Cantwell-Jurkovic
More than 5 million American adults have been diagnosed with autism. Historically, there has been a misconception that autistic individuals are uninterested in sex and intimacy. Traditional sex education is often not sufficient for this population. Existing educational programs are often focused on preventing behavior perceived as problematic. Client-centered education is needed for sexual health and wellbeing. Lack of research on this topic makes evidence-based practice challenging. A scoping review methodological framework was used to summarize existing research on sex education for adults with autism. This study also identified gaps in the literature to inform future research. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis were used to evaluate and report relevant articles. Twenty-six articles met the inclusion criteria for this study. Common themes identified in the literature include the need for client-centered educational materials that meet the unique learning needs of people with autism. Lack of appropriate educational resources creates barriers to informed decision making and healthy participation. In general, parents and health care providers are not comfortable addressing sex education and need access to better training and resources. To avoid stigmatization and bias, future research should focus on healthy sexual behaviors instead of deviant and problem behaviors. Finally, autistic individuals need to be included in the planning process. They often have limited input into educational approaches when their voices should matter most. Additional research on this topic is warranted.
Levac, D., Colquhoun, H., & O’Brien, K. K. (2010). Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology. Implementation Science, 5(1), 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69
Ragaglia, B., Caputi, M., & Bulgarelli, D. (2023). Psychosexual education interventions for autistic youth and adults—A systematic review. Education Sciences, 13(3), 224. https://doi-/10.3390/educsci13030224
Herrick, S. J., & Datti, P. A. (2022). Autism spectrum disorder and sexual minority identity: Sex education implications. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 17(2), 257–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2021.2002225
Barnett, J. P., & Maticka-Tyndale, E. (2015). Qualitative exploration of sexual experiences among adults on the autism spectrum: Implications for sex education. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 47(4), 171–179. https://doi.org/10.1363/47e5715