Sexual Behavior Problems in Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.6016Keywords:
Adolescent, Intellectual disability, Sexual behavior, Systematic reviewAbstract
BACKGROUND: Several studies conducted on adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) have reported various problems of sexual behavior that occurs in the group, including HIV-related risky sexual behavior and other health-related concerns.
AIM: This review aims to synthesize studies on the problems regarding sexual behavior in adolescents with ID to obtain data on the types of risky sexual behavior problems.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Synthesis was conducted on nine studies of children aged 10–20 years old with intellectual disabilities as subjects who have no other psychiatric comorbidities and met the appraisal criteria based on the checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).
RESULTS: Several behaviors were found in the group of adolescents with ID. Masturbation is the type of solitary behavior that appears the most, besides other behaviors like touching genitals and getting naked in public places. Sexual intercourse is the most widely reported in the type of “involving other persons.” Sexual intercourse with more than 1 person without using contraception to protect against sexual transmitted disease (STD) is at risk for HIV infection or other infectious diseases.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this review have indicated that adolescents with ID have sexual needs and experience sexual behavior problems similar to ordinary adolescents in general. They actually have a higher risk for having risky sexual behavior because they lack understanding of sexuality. These findings emphasize the need for sex education so that young people with disabilities can have healthy sexual behavior and a safe life.Downloads
Metrics
Plum Analytics Artifact Widget Block
References
Chaffin M, Berliner L, Block R, Johnson TC, Friedrich WN, Louis DG, et al. Report of the ATSA task force on children with sexual behavior problems. Child Maltreat. 2008;13(2):199-218. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559507306718 PMid:18408214 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559507306718
Kellogg ND. Sexual behaviors in children: Evaluation and management. Am Fam Physician. 2010;82(10):1233-8. PMid:21121534
Murphy NA, Elias ER. Sexuality of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Pediatrics. 2006;118(1):398-403. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-1115 PMid:16818589 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-1115
Friedrich WN, Fisher J, Broughton D, Houston M, Shafran CR. Normative sexual behavior in children: A contemporary sample. Pediatrics. 1998;101(4):E9. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.101.4.e9 PMid:9521975 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.101.4.e9
Holland-Hall C, Quint EH. Sexuality and disability in adolescents. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2017;64(2):435-49. PMid:28292457 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2016.11.011
Eastgate G. Sex and intellectual disability-dealing with sexual health issues. Aust Fam Physician. 2011;40(4):188-91. PMid:21597526
Isler A, Beytut D, Tas F, Conk Z. A study on sexuality with the parents of adolescents with intellectual disability. Sex Disabil. 2009;27(4):229-37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-009-9130-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-009-9130-3
Kassa TA, Luck T, Bekele A, Riedel-Heller SG. Sexual and reproductive health of young people with disability in Ethiopia: A study on knowledge, attitude and practice: A cross-sectional study. Global Health. 2016;12:5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0142-3 PMid:26864115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0142-3
Kann L, McManus T, Harris WA, Shanklin SL, Flint KH, Hawkins J, et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance-United States, 2015. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2016;65(6):1-174. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6506a1 PMid:27280474 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6506a1
Abimanyi-Ochom J, Mannan H, Groce NE, McVeigh J. HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of persons with and without disabilities from the Uganda demographic and health survey 2011: Differential access to HIV/AIDS information and services. PLoS One. 2017;12(4):e0174877. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174877 PMid:28406929 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174877
Borawska-Charko M, Rohleder P, Finlay WM. The sexual health knowledge of people with intellectual disabilities: A review. Sex Res Soc Policy. 2017;14(4):393-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0267-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0267-4
Hewitt O. A survey of experiences of abuse. Tizard Learn Disabil Rev. 2014;19(3):122-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-06-2013-0031
Martinello E. Reviewing risks factors of individuals with intellectual disabilities as perpetrators of sexually abusive behaviors. Sex Disabil. 2015;33(2):269-78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-014-9365-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-014-9365-5
Groce NE, Rohleder P, Eide AH, MacLachlan M, Mall S, Swartz L. HIV issues and people with disabilities: A review and agenda for research. Soc Sci Med. 2013;77:31-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.10.024 PMid:23219851 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.10.024
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, Prisma Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 2009;6(7):e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097 PMid:19621072 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
The Joanna Briggs Institute. Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies; 2019. Available from: http://www.joannabriggs.org/research/critical-appraisal-tools.html. [Last accessed on 2019 Jan 19].
Peters M, Godfrey C, Khalil H, McInerney P, Soares C, Parker D. Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(3):141-6. https://doi.org/10.1097/xeb.0000000000000050 PMid:26134548 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000050
Tsuda S, Hartini S, Hapsari ED, Takada S. Sex education in children and adolescents with disabilities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from a teachers’ gender perspective. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2017;29(4):328-38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539517702716 PMid:28441881 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539517702716
Aderemi TJ, Pillay BJ, Esterhuizen TM. Differences in HIV knowledge and sexual practices of learners with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled learners in Nigeria. J Int AIDS Soc. 2013;16(1):17331. https://doi.org/10.7448/ias.16.1.17331 PMid:23394898 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7448/IAS.16.1.17331
Dawood N, Bhagwanjee A, Govender K, Chohan E. Knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices of adolescents with mild retardation, in relation HIV/AIDS. Afr J AIDS Res. 2006;5(1):1-10. https://doi.org/10.2989/16085900609490361 PMid:25875141 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2989/16085900609490361
Pueschel SM, Scola PS. Parent’s perception of social and sexual functions in adolescents with Down’s syndrome. J Ment Defic Res. 1988;32(3):215-20. PMid:2971115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.1988.tb01407.x
Savage MN, Bouck EC. Predictors of risky behavior and offending for adolescents with mild intellectual disability. Intellect Dev Disabil. 2017;55(3):154-66. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-55.3.154 PMid:28608773 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-55.3.154
Baines S, Emerson E, Robertson J, Hatton C. Sexual activity and sexual health among young adults with and without mild/moderate intellectual disability. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):667. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5572-9 PMid:29843657 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5572-9
Almond L, Giles S. Young people with harmful sexual behaviour: Do those with learning disabilities form a distinct subgroup? J Sex Aggress. 2008;14(3):227-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600802304909 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600802304909
Mandell DS, Eleey CC, Cederbaum JA, Noll E, Hutchinson M, Jemmott LS, et al. Sexually transmitted infection among adolescents receiving special education services. J Sch Health. 2008;78(7):382-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00318.x PMid:18611213 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00318.x
United Nations. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol; 2019. Available from: https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf. [Last accessed on 2019 Jan 19]. https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198810667.003.0052 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/law/9780198810667.003.0052
Kucuk S, Platin N, Erdem E. Increasing awareness of protection from sexual abuse in children with mild intellectual disabilities: An education study. Appl Nurs Res. 2017;38:153-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2017.10.016 PMid:29241509 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2017.10.016
Eastgate G, Scheermeyer E, van Driel ML, Lennox N. Intellectual disability, sexuality and sexual abuse prevention: A study of family members and support workers. Aust Fam Physician. 2012;41(3):135-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-008-0766-2 PMid:22396927
Mallants C, Casteels K. Practical approach to childhood masturbation-a review. Eur J Pediatr. 2008;167(10):1111-7. PMid:18575886 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-008-0766-2
Unal F. Predisposing factors in childhood masturbation in Turkey. Eur J Pediatr. 2000;159(5):338-42. PMid:10834518 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004310051283
Walsh A. Improve and care: Responding to inappropriate masturbation in people with severe intellectual disabilities. Sex Disabil. 2000;18(1):27-39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005473611224
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Sri Hartini, Atien Nur Chamidah, Elisabeth Siti Herini (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
