Affectivity and Sexuality in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder from the Perspective of Education and Healthcare Professionals : A Qualitative Study
Torralbas Ortega, Jordi (Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau)
Valls-Ibáñez, Victoria (Centro de Salud la Serra)
Roca, Judith (Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida Fundació Dr. Pifarré)
Sastre-Rus, Meritxell (Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau)
Campoy-Guerrero, Carme (Universitat de Lleida)
Sala-Corbinos, Dolores (Sant Joan de Déu-Terres de Lleida)
Sánchez-Fernández, María (Universitat de Lleida)
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Date:	2023
Abstract:	People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present several different characteristics that predispose them to greater difficulties with intimate emotional and sexual relationships. This qualitative study uncovers the perspective of education and healthcare professionals on the affective and sexual needs of young people with ASD by analysing their narratives in semi-structured focus group sessions. Professionals highlight the inadequate training they receive in this aspect of health. They consider it should be commonplace for professionals working with autistic people as it would aid their collaborative efforts when treating children and adolescents with ASD. They show that, by working together with the families to establish joint objectives, these professionals can appropriately address sex and affective education, preventing risky behaviours among young people with ASD, and improving the interactions these individuals have with others. Sex and affective education is described as an indispensable tool at this stage of development and should be specially adapted for those with ASD.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Affectivity ; Autism ; Autism spectrum disorder ; Education professionals ; Healthcare professionals ; Sexuality
Published in:	International journal of environmental research and public health, Vol. 20 Núm. 3 (february 2023) , p. 2497, ISSN 1660-4601

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032497
PMID: 36767863

12 p, 352.1 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Institut de Recerca Sant Pau
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles