LOVE AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS IN ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Abstract

"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized, among other criteria, by the presence of repetitive/stereotypical behavior, interests, or activities, and by difficulties in interpersonal relationships and verbal and non-verbal communication with interference in various areas of functioning, such as intimate relationships and sexuality. Preliminary studies reveal that although most wish to relate to other people on an intimate level, several people with ASD tend to isolate themselves and engage in lonely sexual behaviors. Despite the importance of the subject, few studies have looked at it in depth, nor included the meanings of people with ASD about love relationship and sexuality. The main objective of this study is to explore the experience of love relations and intimacy in teenagers and adults with ASD. The design is qualitative, cross-sectional and exploratory. The study included 22 teenagers and adults diagnosed with ASD (63,6% female), to which a semi-structured interview was applied individually, specifically constructed for this study. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results highlight the presence of three main themes: Love relationships, Sexuality and Sexual education. Understanding the difficulties and needs of people with ASD will enrich assessment and interventions with teenagers and adults in this area, as well as identifying sex education themes and tools adapted to these populations. The main results show that ASD symptoms negatively affect experiences in love/intimate relationships and in their sexuality. In this way, it becomes imperative to develops a more adequate Sex education program directed to the difficulties presented."