Securing sexual justice for people with intellectual disability: A systematic review and critical appraisal of research recommendations

Background People with intellectual disability contend with significant restrictions to their sexual expression and partnered relationships. This review examines the types of recommendations scholars offer in their qualitative research involving participants with intellectual disability discussing sexuality and intimate relationships. Method A systematic review of peer-reviewed studies published between 1972 and July 2018 yielded a sample of 26 studies. Thematic analysis was used to taxonomize scholars' recommendations. Results Six distinct forms of recommendations were identified. The most frequently offered and most strongly emphasized recommendation across studies aimed to change individuals with intellectual disability. In contrast, a minority of studies prioritized engaging individuals as informants, eliciting individuals' wishes, enabling relationships and fostering ideological change. No studies placed the greatest weight on promoting systems change. Conclusions Recommendations in the literature have predominantly emphasized individual as opposed to environmental changes. I consider the ramifications of this and argue for a reorientation towards systems change.