Login Register Cart 0
Generic placeholder image

Adolescent Psychiatry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2210-6766
ISSN (Online): 2210-6774

Back
Journal Home About Journal Editorial Board Journal Insight Current Issue Volumes/Issues
Subscribe
Case Report

Addressing Sexual Acting Out Behaviors with Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum

Author(s): Leah N. Clionsky* and Amanda M. N’Zi

Volume 9, Issue 2, 2019

Page: [129 - 134] Pages: 6

DOI: 10.2174/2210676609666190730091304

Abstract

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have similar sexual desires and relationship needs to their neuro-typical peers. However, they may be more likely to demonstrate problematic sexual behaviors as they mature, due to lack of education about sexuality, vulnerability to sexual abuse, deficits in social communication and understanding, restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors, and sensory interests. Treatment for sexual acting out behaviors in adolescents with ASD has not been explored and current recommendations focus on prevention through sexual education, which provides little guidance to clinicians working with adolescents who are already displaying sexual acting out behaviors. Adapting treatments for problematic sexual behaviors in neuro-typical children and adolescents may be the first step, although adaptation is complicated by developmental abilities that may not match an adolescent’s chronological age. A thorough developmental and sexual assessment is the first step to designing an appropriate treatment plan. Further research should focus on adapting and applying current treatments for sexual acting out by the ASD population.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, adolescents, treatment, sexual behaviors, sexual acting-out.

« Previous Next »
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Bonner, B. (2008). Adolescents with illegal sexual behavior: Current knowledge. American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. Special issue on Adolescent Illegal Sexual Behavior (AISB), 20, 5-8.
Brown-Lavoie, S.M., Viecili, M.A., Weiss, J.A. (2014). Sexual knowledge and victimization in adults with autism spectrum disorders. J. Autism Dev. Disord., 44(9), 2185-2196.
Burton, D.L., Smith-Darden, J. (2000). 1996 nationwide survey: A summary of the past ten years of specialized treatment with projections for the coming decade.. Brandon, VT: Safer Society.
Byers, E.S., Nichols, S., Voyer, S. (2013). Challenging stereotypes: Sexual functioning of single adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord., 43, 2617-2627.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2012. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/ss/ss6503a1. htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2015). Estimated Prevalence of Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities Following Questionnaire Changes in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey. National Health Statistics Reports. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr087.pdf
Chaffin, M., Berliner, L., Block, R., Johnson, T.C., Friedrich, W., Louis, D., Lyon, T.D., Page, J., Prescott, D., Silovsky, J.F. (2008). Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers Task Force Report on Children with Sexual Behavior Problems. Child Maltreat., 13, 199-218.
DeLamater, J., Friedrich, W. (2002). Human sexual development. J. Sex Res., 39(1), 10-14.
Dewinter, J., Vermeiren, R., Vanwesenbeeck, I., van Nieuwenhuizen, C. (2013). Autism and normative sexual development: a narrative review. J. Clin. Nurs., 22, 3467-3483.
Friedrich, W.N. (1997). Child Sexual Behavior Inventory: Professional manual.. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Hellemans, H., Colson, K., Verbaeken, C., Vermeiren, R., Deboutte, D. (2007). Sexual behavior in high-functioning male adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord., 37, 260-269.
Hellemans, H., Roeyers, H., Leplae, W., Dewaele, T., Deboutte, D. (2010). Sexual behavior male adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder and borderline/mild mental retardation. Sex. Disabil., 28, 93-104.
Holmes, L., Himle, M. (2014). Brief report: Parent-child sexuality communication and autism spectrum disorders. J. Autism Dev. Disord., 44, 2964-2970.
Howlin, P., Clements, J. (1995). Is it possible to assess the impact of sexual abuse on children with pervasive developmental disorders? J. Autism Dev. Disord., 25, 337-354.
Kellaher, D. (2015). Sexual behavior and autism spectrum disorders: an update and discussion. Curr. Psychiatry Rep., 17, 25.
Mandell, D.S., Walrath, C.M., Manteuffel, B., Sgro, G., Pinto-Martin, J.A. (2005). The prevalence and correlates of abuse among children with autism served in comprehensive community-based mental health settings. Child Abuse Negl., 29(12), 1359-1372.
Mansell, S., Sobsey, D., Wilgosh, L.M., Zawallich, A. (1996). The sexual abuse of young people with disabilities: treatment considerations. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 19, 293-302.
Miranda, A.O., Corcoran, C.L. (2000). Comparison of perpetration characteristics between male juvenile and adult sexual offenders: Preliminary results. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 12(3), 179-188.
Murphy, M.A., Elias, E.R. (2006). Sexuality of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Pediatrics, 118, 398-403.
Ruble, L.A., Dalrymple, N.J. (1993). Social/sexual awareness of persons with autism: A parental perspective. Arch. Sex. Behav., 22, 229-240.
Sevlever, M., Roth, M.E., Gillis, J.M. (2013). Sexual abuse and offending in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Sex Disability Journal, 31, 189-200.
Silovsky, J., Bonner, B.L. (2003). Sexual behavior problems. In T. H. Ollendick & C. S. Schroeder (Eds.)Encyclopedia of clinical child and pediatric psychology. (pp. 589-591). New York: Kluwer Press.
Stokes, M., Kaur, A. (2005). High-functioning autism and sexuality: A parental perspective. SAGE Publications and the National Autistic Society, 9(3), 266-289.
Stokes, M., Newton, N., Kaur, A. (2007). Stalking, and social and romantic functioning among adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord., 37, 1969-1986.
Travers, J., Tincani, M. (2010). Sexuality education for individuals with autism spectrum disorders: Critical issues and decision making guidelines. Educ. Train. Autism Dev. Disabil., 45(2), 284-293.

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
Article Metrics
33
1
World Health Day
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy