Sex Education Programs for People with Intellectual Disability: How Effective Are They?

Abstract

This paper is concerned with a review of the effectiveness of sex education program which have been developed for people with intellectual disability. Over the past twenty years a large number of sex education programs have been developed. These range from broad based programs to those designed to address particular areas of concern, for example, menstruation management and protection from sexual abuse. Programs have also been developed to enhance the social skills of people with intellectual disability. Although educators and people who work with people with intellectual disability acknowledge the need for these programs, there has been little attempt to evaluate their effectiveness. Further, most programs have focussed on transmission of knowledge, and not on the development of positive attitudes toward sexuality. The evaluative data that have been performed on these programs are discussed, and directions for future research are explored.