Sexuality, Education and Support for People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review of the Attitudes of Support Staff and Relatives

Support staff and relatives are uncertain about multiple aspects of the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities. Given that their attitudes embody positive and negative views, they can respectively support and restrict free sexual expression among people with intellectual disabilities and their potential for (intimate) relationships. A qualitative systematic literature review was conducted on the attitudes of support staff and relatives toward the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities. A systematic search strategy was deployed across seven databases. The identified articles were screened on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and assessed on quality, which resulted in 31 included studies. A metasynthesis of these studies resulted in two major themes emerging, namely (a) attitudes toward the sexuality of people with intellectual disabilities, and (b) attitudes toward the sex education and support. Themes represented both positive and restrictive attitudes among support staff and relatives. The findings suggest that despite a general acceptance of the sexual rights of people with intellectual disabilities, certain forms of sexuality were approached more cautiously. Moreover, the sexual needs of some subgroups of people with intellectual disabilities received scarce attention. Those support staff and relatives holding rather restrictive attitudes appear to emphasize sexual risks. Finally, support staff and relatives stressed the importance of providing sex education and support for people with intellectual disabilities, while, simultaneously, expressing insecurity over the subject. The findings can help to improve the support provided to support staff and relatives to promote sexual health among people with intellectual disabilities.