Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Males and Females with Intellectual Disabilities: Indonesia Setting

Authors

  • Tri Indah Winarni Center for Biomedical Research (CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, Central-Java, Indonesia
  • Hardian Hardian Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, Central-Java, Indonesia
  • Suharta Suharta Magister of Biomedical Science Majoring Genetic Counseling, Faculty of Medicine Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, Central-Java, Indonesia
  • Annastasia Ediati Faculty of Psychology, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, Central-Java, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2018.06.02.3

Keywords:

Sexual right, reproductive right, intellectual disabilities, developing country.

Abstract

Introduction: sexual and reproductive rights in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), particularly in developing countries, are often neglected. Although affected individuals never complained, the problems were found augmented from the affected families. Over the last two decades, parents and professionals acknowledged sexual and reproductive right and try to accommodate these needs. Indonesia, a developing country with a strong religious and culture beliefs may has different perspectives on attitudes towards sexuality in individuals with ID which respect the sexual and reproductive right augmented from the affected family. The aimed of this study was to explore the attitudes towards sexuality on individuals with ID. The findings are expected to contribute to the movement in recognizing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in individuals with ID.

Methods: thirty participants were included in this study consisted of supporting staffs of rehabilitation center for disabled individual, parents, religious leaders and community. Participants fulfilled the two sets of Attitude to Sexuality Questionnaires towards individuals with ID (ASQ-ID).

Results: the attitudes towards sexuality in males were found similar with females with ID, age did not play a role in the attitude towards sexuality in ID. Indonesian attitudes towards sexuality in individuals with ID was found the most conservative compared to other countries with the mean of sexual right was 3.7±0.22, parenting was 3.5±0.30, non-reproductive sexual behavior was 3.4±0.49, and self-control was 3.4±0.73.

Conclusion: the attitudes towards sexuality in individual with ID is somewhat negative, strong culture and religious beliefs /and values may have strong influence.

References

World Health Organization. Definition: intellectual disability. In: Regional Office for Europe, editor 2010.

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Overview of intellectual disability: definition, classification, and systems of support 2010.

Moeschler JB, Shevell M, Committee on G. Comprehensive evaluation of the child with intellectual disability or global developmental delays. Pediatrics 2014; 134(3): e903-918.

Karam SM, Barros AJ, Matijasevich A, Dos Santos IS, Anselmi L, Barros F, et al. Intellectual Disability in a Birth

Cohort: Prevalence, Etiology, and Determinants at the Age of 4 Years. Public Health Genomics 2016; 19(5): 290-297. https://doi.org/10.1159/000448912

Koh HH. Different But Equal: The Human Rights of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities 2004; 63.

Craft A, Craft M. Sexuality and the Mentally Handicapped. In: The Modern Management of Mental Handicap [Internet]. Springer, Dordrecht 1980.

Addlakha R, Price J, Heidari S. Disability and sexuality: claiming sexual and reproductive rights. Reprod Health Matters 2017; 25(50): 4-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/09688080.2017.1336375

Gil-Llario MD, Morell-Mengual V, Ballester-Arnal R, Diaz-Rodriguez I. The experience of sexuality in adults with intellectual disability. J Intellect Disabil Res 2018; 62(1): 72-80. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12455

Carew MT, Braathen SH, Swartz L, Hunt X, Rohleder P. The sexual lives of people with disabilities within low- and middle-income countries: a scoping study of studies published in English. Glob Health Action 2017; 10(1): 1337342. https://doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1337342

World Health Organization. Sexual health, human rights, and law. Geneva: World Health Organization 2015.

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia No: 8 Tentang Penyandang Disabilitas 2016.

Badan Pusat Statistik. Sensus Penduduk Indonesia. Jakarta 2010.

Cuskelly M, Gilmore L. Attitudes to Sexuality Questionnaire (Individuals with an Intellectual Disability): scale development and community norms. J Intellect Dev Disabil 2007; 32(3): 214-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668250701549450

Di Marco G, Licciardello O, Mauceri M, La Guidara RMC. Attitudes Towards the Sexuality of Men with Intellectual Disability: The Effect of Social Dominance Orientation. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 2013; 84: 1194-1198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.726

Sankhla D, Theodore K. British Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Men and Women with Intellectual Disabilities: A Comparison Between White Westerners and South Asians. Sex Disabil 2015; 33(4): 429-445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-015-9423-7

Ditchman N, Easton AB, Batchos E, Rafajko S, Shah N. The Impact of Culture on Attitudes Toward the Sexuality of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Sex Disabil 2017; 35(2): 245-260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-017-9484-x

Griffin MM, Summer AH, McMillan ED, Day TL, Hodapp RM. Attitudes toward Including Students with Intellectual

Disabilities at College. J Policy Pract Intellect Disabil 2012; 9(4): 234-239. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12008

World Health Organization. World Report on Disability. Geneva: World Health Organization 2011.

Lou C, Cheng Y, Gao E, Zuo X, Emerson MR, Zabin LS. Media's contribution to sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for adolescents and young adults in three Asian cities. J Adolesc Health 2012; 50(3 Suppl): S26-36.

Arousell J, Carlbom A. Culture and religious beliefs in relation to reproductive health. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2016; 32: 77-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2015.08.011

Benomir AM, Nicolson RI, Beail N. Attitudes towards people with intellectual disability in the UK and Libya: A cross-cultural comparison. Res Dev Disabil 2016; 51-52: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2015.12.009

Lee K, Devine A, Marco MJ, Zayas J, Gill-Atkinson L, Vaughan C. Sexual and reproductive health services for women with disability: a qualitative study with service providers in the Philippines. BMC Womens Health 2015; 15: 87. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-015-0244-8

Amaro H. Women in the Mexican-American community: Religion, culture, and reproductive attitudes and experiences. J Community Psychol 1988; 16: 6-20. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(198801)16:1<6::AID-JCOP2290160104>3.0.CO;2-1

Sedgh G, Ashford LS, Hussain R. Unmet Need for Contraception in Developing Countries: Examining Women’s Reasons for Not Using a Method. Guttmatcher Institute 2016.

Le Gall A, Mullet E, Shafighi SR. Age, religious beliefs, and sexual attitudes. J Sex Res 2002; 39(3): 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490209552143

L'Engle KL, Brown JD, Kenneavy K. The mass media are an important context for adolescents' sexual behavior. J Adolesc Health 2006; 38(3): 186-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.03.020

Choi G, Lam CS. Korean students' differential attitudes toward people with disabilities: an acculturation perspective. Int J Rehabil Res 2001; 24(1): 79-81. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004356-200103000-00012

Morales GEM, Ramirez EOL, Esterle M, Sastre MTM, Mullet E. Judging the Acceptability of Sexual Intercourse Among People with Learning Disabilities: A Mexico-France Comparison. Sex Disabil 2010; 28(2): 81-91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-010-9147-7

Guggisberg M, Henricksen J, Holt A. Violence against Women with Intellectual Disability: A Quest for Specific Sexual Violence Prevention Education in Tandem. Glob J Intellect Dev Disabil 2017; 2(1): 1-4. https://doi.org/10.19080/GJIDD.2017.01.555578

Downloads

Published

2018-05-30

How to Cite

Winarni, T. I., Hardian, H., Suharta, S., & Ediati, A. (2018). Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Males and Females with Intellectual Disabilities: Indonesia Setting. Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment, 6(2), 43–48. https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2018.06.02.3

Issue

Section

General Articles