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The Impact of Culture on Attitudes Toward the Sexuality of People with Intellectual Disabilities

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Abstract

Although sexuality is a central component of human life, it is often discouraged and inaccessible to many adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Common misperceptions and stereotypes of people with ID, such as being asexual, childlike, or innocent, impact the provision of sexual education, opportunities, and rights for many people with ID. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of gender, familiarity with ID, and cultural orientation on predicting attitudes towards the sexuality of people with ID. Participants included 227 students from two U.S. universities with a large international student population. Collectively, predictors explained 32% of the variance in attitudes towards sexuality, with cultural orientation variables accounting for the greatest amount (27%). Using Triandis’ four-factor conceptualization of culture, horizontal individualism and horizontal collectivism were associated with more positive attitudes, and vertical individualism was associated with more negative attitudes. Results highlight the impact of individual and societal characteristics on attitudes, suggesting that cultural orientation plays a role in mitigating and perpetuating stigma toward individuals with ID. Implications for research and practice are provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3105 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA

    Nicole Ditchman, Elisabeth Batchos, Sean Rafajko & Noopur Shah

  2. Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, University of Arizona, 1430 E. Second Street, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Amanda B. Easton

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  1. Nicole Ditchman
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  2. Amanda B. Easton
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  3. Elisabeth Batchos
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  4. Sean Rafajko
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  5. Noopur Shah
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Correspondence to Nicole Ditchman.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Ditchman, N., Easton, A.B., Batchos, E. et al. The Impact of Culture on Attitudes Toward the Sexuality of People with Intellectual Disabilities. Sex Disabil 35, 245–260 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-017-9484-x

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