Factors Associated with Undesirable Sexual Experiences in Adolescent Male Youth with Mild Intellectual Disabilities: Baseline Findings from the Move Up! Project

Exploring sexual behaviors forms an important developmental task for all adolescents, including those with mild intellectual disabilities (MID; IQ between 50 – 75). Adolescents with MID experience relatively more difficulties in socio-emotional and cognitive domains than their average-IQ peers, heightening their risk of unintended pregnancies, acquiring sexually transmitted infections and experiencing sexual victimization. Additionally, males with MID are at an increased risk of perpetrating sexual violence. The Move Up! project investigates the effectiveness of a group counselling program (Make a Move+) aiming to improve psychosexual health and prevent undesirable sexual experiences in male youth with MID, using a cluster randomized controlled trial (see https://osf.io/jfmau). Even though sexual risks among this population are relatively well-documented, quantitative research on male adolescents with MID’s psychosexual development, and risk factors predicting undesirable sexual experiences is scarce. The current study, therefore, firstly aims to describe male adolescents with MID’s sexual experience, attitudes, and other factors relevant to their psychosexual development. Secondly, the main aim of this study is to assess how the factors that Make a Move+ aims to change (e.g., sexual knowledge) link to the three undesirable sexual experiences that Make a Move+ tries to prevent: risky sexual behaviors, and the perpetration (intentions and behaviors) and victimization of sexual violence.