Prevalence and sequelae of self-reported and other-reported sexual abuse in adults with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Sexual victimisation is an important problem that affects millions of people around the world, especially those with some kind of disability. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of self-reported and documented sexual abuse in people with mild or moderate intellectual disability and to analyse the sequelae that such experiences can have on their psychosocial health. METHODS: The sample consisted of 360 adults (50% men and 50% women) between 18 and 55 years of age (M = 39.87; standard deviation = 10.55). RESULTS: The prevalence of sexual abuse is 6.10% when it is self-reported (9.4% in women and 2.8% in men) and 28.6% when it is reported by professionals (27.8% in women and 29.4% in men). People who self-report cases of abuse present poorer quality of life, more negative attitudes towards sex and a lower capacity to identify situations that entail a risk of sexual abuse. Individuals who have suffered documented cases of abuse are more likely to present encopresis, social isolation, self-harm and a higher number of suicide attempts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results evidence the need to have access to all sources of information so as to be able to obtain prevalence figures that match the real situation and to perform a proper analysis of the sequelae.

Validation of the AIDS Prevention Questionnaire: A Brief Self-Report Instrument to Assess Risk of HIV Infection and Guide Behavioral Change.

This paper describes the process of building and validating the AIDS Prevention Questionnaire (CPS), a brief HIV risk assessment measure. An initial 64-items bank was filled out by 466 young people (192 men and 274 women), aged between 17 and 26 years (M = 20.62; SD = 2.15). The exploratory factor analysis revealed five components: Knowledge about HIV, Condom Attitudes, Intentions of Condom Use, Safe sexual behavior and Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV. This structure was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency for the different components ranged from .67 to .74. Moreover, CPS has a classification system that allows determining the level of risk. These results support the AIDS Prevention Questionnaire as a valid and reliable measure to detect earlier the risk for HIV infection and to design adjusted preventive interventions.

The experience of sexuality in adults with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability have the same sexual needs as those without any disability, yet their sexuality is often restricted by reluctant attitudes and/or fears based on irrational beliefs. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse different areas of sexuality in adults with mild or moderate intellectual disability. METHOD: The sample consisted of 180 men and 180 women attending occupational centres. All the participants were administered a questionnaire about sexuality adapted to their characteristics. RESULTS: Results show that 84.2% have had sexual relationships with another person, this percentage being higher in females and in people aged between 38 and 55 years old. Condoms are used by 41.4%. The most frequently used contraceptive methods are the pill (39.6%), transdermal patch (30.2%) and intrauterine device (6.7%). 9.4% of the women and 2.8% of the men has experienced sexual abuse. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, there is a need to draw up educational programmes, differentiated according to gender and adapted to their reality, which include contents related with sexual health, sexual abuse and condom use.