Assessing Sexual Knowledge in Young People
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing Sexual Knowledge in Young People With and Without Intellectual Disabilities: is Sexual Knowledge Related to Harmful Sexual Behaviour?
IRAS ID
153773
Contact name
Kevin Browne
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
The current study aims to explore whether there are differences in sexual knowledge in adolescents with and without intellectual disability (ID) and their counterparts who display harmful sexual behaviour (HSB). The study also aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between the types of previous sexual experiences (e.g. Sexual victimisation, exposure to pornography, sex education, their own HSB) and sexual knowledge in adolescents with and without ID (HSB groups only). An existing sexual knowledge assessment which has been adapted for use with adolescents with ID aged 12-17 years will be used and tested to see if it is reliable and valid.
Approximately 25-40% of alleged sexual abuse involves young perpetrators, the majority being adolescent males. Within this group (adolescent males) individuals with ID are also over represented (Vizard, 2000). Hingsburger, Griffiths & Quinsey (1991) suggested that sexual offences are precipitated in some adults with ID by factors such as lack of sexual knowledge, poor social/heterosexual skills and limited opportunities to establish sexual relationships (counterfeit deviance hypothesis). Additionally, sex education programmes taught in schools may be insufficient for the needs of adolescents with ID (Hackett, 2004). Research regarding sexual knowledge and its relationship to HSB in adolescents with ID is limited. There are no known validated assessments tools aimed at measuring sexual knowledge related to risk of HSB which also allows practitioners to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of treatment programmes used with these young people. Obtaining accurate information is essential to inform risk management strategies and to identify treatment targets aimed at better outcomes for these young people.
The study sites include Medium Secure Adolescent Units; NHS, independent organisations, special interest groups and mainstream/special secondary schools based in England. Participants will be asked to complete the questionnaire and a feedback sheet as part of the study. The study will take approximately 8 months.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/1023
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion