File(s) under permanent embargo
High-functioning autism and sexuality: a parental perspective
Few studies have compared sexual behaviours among adolescents with high-functioning autism (HFA) and typical populations, and indicated whether specialized education is required. We hypothesized that adolescents with HFA would (1) display poorer social behaviours; (2) engage in fewer behaviours related to privacy and have poorer knowledge regarding privacy issues; (3) have less sex education; and (4) display more inappropriate sexual behaviours; and that (5) parental concerns would be greater for the HFA sample. Parents of typical adolescents (n = 50) and adolescents with HFA (n = 23) were surveyed with a Sexual Behaviour Scale (SBS) developed by the authors, with domains corresponding to the hypotheses. The HFA and typical groups were found to be significantly different on all five domains. However, following covariation with age and level of social behaviour, it was found that only parental concerns about their child distinguished between typical adolescents and those with HFA. Specialized sex education programmes with a social interaction emphasis should be considered for this group.
History
Journal
AutismVolume
9Issue
3Pagination
266 - 289Publisher
Sage JournalsLocation
Thousand Oaks, Calif.Publisher DOI
ISSN
1362-3613eISSN
1461-7005Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2005 SAGE Publications and The National Autistic SocietyUsage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC