Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience much higher rates of forced sexual interactions than non-disabled individuals, with incidence ranges from 44% in children (
Background
People with physical disabilities make up a large and heterogeneous population, many with specific sexual health needs that differ from the general population.
Methods
To conduct a review of current definitions and statuses relating to the sexual well-being of people with physical disabilities. Medical, social, and behavioral literature was searched and included to address the specific sexual health needs and disparities in this population.
Results
People with physical disabilities encompass a broad population, including those with concomitant mental and cognitive impairments. People with physical disabilities have significant sexual and reproductive health disparities when compared with the general population and higher rates of sexual distress. There are specific sexual health concerns for men and women with physical disabilities and approach to their care needs to be interdisciplinary.
Conclusions
Sexual health needs for people with physical disabilities should be a priority for healthcare providers. Continued education is essential to ensure disparities and health needs are addressed and treated.
Sexuality is an issue of equality, rights, and ethics, especially when it comes to the sexuality of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This paper offers a discussion of ethics related to the assessment and intervention supports of sexual behavior in people with IDD. A brief history of sexuality and disability is presented. Issues of sexual abuse of people with IDD and the laws related to sterilization, pornography, sexual rights, and consent are explored. Finally, specific ethical concerns related to intervention by behavior analysts in the realm of sexual behavior are examined.
The behavior analytic method of functional analysis (FA) is a process for identifying behavior-environment functional relations. Some research indicates the use of FA procedures to determine the environmental factors that maintain odd or inappropriate verbal behavior. The current study demonstrates the use of an FA to identify environmental influences on repetitive verbal behavior for an adult with acquired brain injury (ABI).A brief FA of repetitive verbal behavior was conducted in an outpatient program for individuals with ABI. Four conditions were alternated in a multielement single-case experimental design. Data were collected across conditions to determine if specific contextual variables differentially influenced the occurrence of repetitive verbal behavior.Data revealed increased occurrences of repetitive verbal behavior in a test condition that included contingent attention.Specific environmental factors were identified as sources of control for repetitive verbal behavior. The results of this case report support the use of FA for repetitive verbal behavior exhibited by individuals with ABI.
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