Sexuality and Disability最新文献

The love and companionship provided from romantic relationships is a right for all adults, yet many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been unable to experience these forms of relationship. This study investigates the experiences and perspectives on romantic relationships regarding adults with IDD involved in an inclusive supported living program. We asked residents with IDD, their parents, graduate student residents (without disabilities), and organization staff for their insights into the romantic relationships of adults with IDD and how the organization could better support those relationships. The residents with IDD described romantic relationships in various ways, but all emphasized their importance. Participants discussed an array of challenges in this area, including difficulty meeting people to date, challenges with social skills, and a lack of comprehensive sexual education. Likewise, the study noted a number of tensions that arise when supporting adults with IDD to pursue romantic relationships, including their comfort addressing this area, navigating dignity of risk, and acceptance from family members. The residents, parents, and staff members also provided helpful recommendations for how supported living organizations can most effectively support individuals with IDD in romantic relationships.

When it comes to sexuality education, people with disabilities are often left out of the conversation. Many believe that these people are asexual, sexually inactive, that they do not need sexual education, that they cannot and should not have sexual relations and cannot/should not have love relationships and start a family. The main purpose of the research is to determinate thoughts, attitudes, knowledge and personal experience of the parents of children with disabilities regarding comprehensive sexuality education of their children. The data were collected through a survey of 54 respondents, parents of persons/children with disabilities from different regions in the Republic of N. Macedonia. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program and Chi square and Fisher exact test. From the data, it can be concluded that the majority of parents covered by this research are not familiar with the most appropriate age at which sexual education should begin. Around 57% of parents completely agreed with the statement that sex education should be part of the educational program in schools and only 38.9% of parents believe that their child should study all subjects. Children with disabilities need developmentally appropriate sex education to stay safe and healthy and to achieve self-determination.

Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease. This disease triggers sexual dysfunction due to physiological, cognitive and mental effects. Since sexual function is often ignored in these patients, this study aimed to investigate the effect of sexual counseling based on EX‑PLISSIT model on improving the sexual function of married women with SLE. This clinical trial was conducted on 101 married women suffering from SLE (18-49 years) residing in Tehran. Randomization was performed by random block allocation with six blocks in a rheumatology clinic. A demographic questionnaire, the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21 Items (DASS-21), and the female sexual function index were used to collect the data. The intervention group received counselling sessions every week while the control group (n = 55) received routine care for the disease. Eight and twelve weeks after completion of counselling sessions, outcomes compared between the intervention and control groups, using independent ttest, paired t-test, repeated measures and Chi-squared test. The scores of sexual function in both groups did not differ significantly before the intervention (p > 0.05). At the first follow-up session, the score of all sexual function domains except sexual pain increased significantly in the intervention group while a significant reduction was observed in all domains of sexual function in the control group (p < 0.05). In the second follow-up, sexual function significantly increased in the intervention group whereas it significantly decreased in the control group (p < 0.05). According to the findings of this study, counseling based on EX-PLISSIT model positively affected the sexual function of women with SLE. Therefore, this model can be used as a cost-effective and simple counseling method to improve the sexual functions.

Sexuality is an integral part of our existence. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can complicate the lifelong course of sexual development and the ways in which one defines and expresses sexuality. Unfortunately, these issues are not adequately addressed by the health professionals involved in the rehabilitation process. Present research attempts to study the effect that can arise on the sexual and relational satisfaction of couples having a partner with MS after the implementation of a sexual rehabilitation program. 60 couples where one partner has MS and the other does not, were divided into three groups and accepted the PLISSIT (PLISSIT stands for Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, Intensive Therapy) sexual rehabilitation program as follows: Group a (n = 40, control group) completed self-referencing questionnaires at three times (initial measurement, after 10 weeks and 6 months later), group b (n = 40) did 10 weeks of sexual counselling and completed the same questionnaires at the same times and group c (n = 40) followed the PLISSIT programme and was evaluated in the same way at the same times. The implementation of PLISSIT improved Sexual Dysfunction (SD) levels, increased sexual satisfaction between partners along with general relational satisfaction. PLISSIT can be used by professionals involved in the management of the disease as a comprehensive psychosexual rehabilitation program for MS patients and their partners.