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Sexuality is an aspect of health and development that is often overlooked among people with physical disabilities, particularly adolescents. Studies have demonstrated that youth with physical disabilities show considerably lower levels of sexual knowledge and receive inadequate sex education compared to their peers without such disabilities. The data for this paper are part of a qualitative study that explored the experiences, barriers and challenges associated with sex education for youth with physical disabilities from the perspectives of young people themselves, their parents and the health professionals who work with them. The findings from this study highlight the tendency for parents, educators and health professionals to place the responsibility of delivering sex education to young people with physical disabilities on someone else who they believe to be more appropriately qualified to handle these types of situations. As a result, the findings illustrate that adolescents with physical disabilities do not always receive the necessary combination of comprehensive sex education within school environments, specialized information from health professionals, and informal sex education from family and peers that they require in order to gain the knowledge and skills needed to understand their own sexual capabilities and make informed decisions about their sexual health and intimate relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to better understand the factors influencing the provision of sexuality-related post-stroke rehabilitation services by clinicians on different sites and to explore strategies to improve post-stroke rehabilitation services with stakeholders. A qualitative study with co-design methods was conducted with 20 clinicians from five post-stroke rehabilitation centers in Canada, 1 manager and 1 patient-partner. Participants either took part in a focus group or in sessions of an adapted version of the LEGO Serious Play method to explore influencing factors and strategies of improvement in relation to post-stroke sexual rehabilitation services. Thematic analysis was conducted semi-deductively using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) system and the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). A total of twenty factors pertaining either to the categories of Capability (n = 8; e.g., Sexual rehabilitation procedural knowledge), Motivation (n = 4; e.g., Professional boundaries) or Opportunity (n = 8; e.g., Workload) were perceived as influencing provision of sexual rehabilitation services by participants. A theoretical model was conceptualized. Strategies (n = 10) were categorized in concordance with the BCW as Training (n = 1), Enablement (n = 5) or Environmental restructuring (n = 4). This study showed that factors influencing provision of post-stroke rehabilitation services were numerous and interrelated, and that various strategies aiming either clinicians or the rehabilitation environment would be relevant to improve services. This study will help guide the design and implementation of future interventions studies aiming at improving post-stroke sexual rehabilitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sexual agency of youth with physical disabilities is often unacknowledged and underdeveloped. Concerned adults often make decisions about sexual and reproductive care for youth with physical disabilities to protect them from adverse outcomes, such as sexual abuse. Additionally, sexuality resources available to youth with physical disabilities are often not specific to their disability, which may limit their ability to foster positive sexuality. We conducted a systematic review to understand the knowledge created through qualitative inquiry on the sexuality of youth with physical disabilities. We considered qualitative or mixed-method studies published between 1999 and 2021. The electronic databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Dissertations and Theses Global were searched, as well as the DuckDuckGo search engine for grey literature. Nineteen peer-reviewed studies and 10 grey literature sources were included. Six themes were identified: (1) Sexuality resources did not adequately support the sexual rights of youth with physical disabilities, (2) Parents of youth with disabilities feared their child was sexually vulnerable, (3) Many healthcare providers felt unprepared to discuss sexuality with youth with disabilities, (4) Youth with physical disabilities experienced discrimination related to their sexuality, (5) The sexual agency of youth with physical disabilities was often unrecognized, and (6) Youth with physical disabilities had diverse sexual experiences and identities. This review revealed the complex, intersecting, and diverse experiences of youth with physical disabilities when it comes to their sexuality. Recommendations call on parents/caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers, and society at large, to combat systemic misconceptions and recognize the sexual agency of youth with physical disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the impact of advertisements featuring individuals either with or without a physical disability on attitudes towards sexuality and disability. In addition, the authors sought to determine whether there is a relationship between these attitudes and endorsement of traditional versus egalitarian gender role beliefs. A total of 707 online participants completed the Gender Role Belief Scale, then rated a series of ads featuring individuals with or without a disability (or served as a no ad control), and completed the Attitudes toward Sexuality Questionnaire and Perceptions of Sexuality Scale. Results demonstrated a complex relationship between gender role beliefs and exposure to advertisements on attitudes towards the sexuality of women and men with physical disabilities. As hypothesized, the endorsement of traditional gender role beliefs was related to more negative attitudes towards the sexuality of women with physical disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the importance of sex education training for support workers who assist adults with developmental disabilities (DDs). Topics include the study involving participants from two psychology departments at a university in Canada, the attitude of support workers towards dealing with sexuality-related issues facing adults with (DDs) such as romantic relationships, dating and marriage, and the need for sex education classes to cover sexual abuse and sexual rights.

The article discusses a study on the masturbation practices of people who have upper limb motor disabilities in Quebec. Topics covered include the lack of sex education that tackles the sexuality of men and women with disabilities, the sociocultural, familial and educational factors that influence a person's masturbation practice, and the use of sex toys to help develop sexual skills. Also mentioned is the influence of Roman Catholicism on sex education for people in Quebec.

The article presents a study on the sexual experiences of women with disabilities, the sexual abuse they may suffer and the benefits of masturbation. Topics discussed include definitions of acts of violence against women, experiences of sexual abuse revealed by the study participants, and physical problems that affected their masturbation practices.

This study examined the validity of the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS) as a framework for understanding the sexual satisfaction of 205 adults (77 men and 128 women) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) who were in a romantic relationship of at least 3 months duration. Participants completed an online survey that included a background questionnaire, the IEMSS Questionnaire, and a measure of autism symptoms. The results provide support for the validity of the IEMSS in that all the IEMSS components (relationship satisfaction, balance of sexual rewards and costs, balance of relative sexual rewards and costs, equality of rewards, equality of costs) were significantly associated with sexual satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction and the balance of rewards and costs added over and above the other components. The model was not moderated by gender, relationship duration or extent of autism symptoms. However, participants with more autism symptoms related to social functioning reported lower sexual satisfaction as well as lower scores on all of the IEMSS components. There were few gender differences. These results are discussed in terms of the impact of HF-ASD on adults' experiences of their sexual satisfaction with their partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults with developmental disabilities (DDs) are often discouraged from expressing their sexuality and from learning about their sexual rights. As a consequence, they experience high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and sexual abuse, as well as negative attitudes toward their own sexuality. Support workers' attitudes towards such issues are critical since individuals with DDs rely on support workers for information about sex. The following study involved the distribution of a self-administered sexuality questionnaire to university students with support worker experience. The results from the study indicate that support workers with no religious affiliation and those who are more advanced in their educational careers are more likely to have liberal attitudes towards the sexuality of adults with DDs. Analyses also indicated that while support workers were not biased against homosexuality among individuals with DDs, they considered anal sex to be the least acceptable form of sexual expression for this population. Implications of these findings are explored in terms of support worker training and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]