Abstract
This study explores differences in sexual behaviors between adolescents with low and with average cognitive abilities in the U.S. Using data from Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), we identified 422 respondents who had low cognitive abilities. Logistic and multinomial logistic regression methods were used to compare their experiences of romantic attraction, coital sex, contraceptive use, STDs, and pregnancy with those of respondents who were mentally average. Results show that adolescents with low cognitive abilities had fewer experiences of romantic attraction and coital sex. Given romantic-attraction experience, these boys had higher odds for same-sex (vs. opposite-sex) attraction compared with average boys. Among non-virgins, mentally disadvantaged adolescents were less likely to use contraceptives and had higher risks of STDs and pregnancy. More attention is needed to guide and protect them in their sexual understanding and development.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berstein, N. R. (1985). Sexuality in mentally retarded adolescent. Med. Aspects Hum. Sexuality 19(11): 50–61.
Carmody, M. (1991). Invisible victims: Sexual assault of people with an intellectual disability. Aust. N. Z. J. Dev. Disabil. 17: 229–236.
Chamberlain, A., Rauh, J., Passer, A., McGrath, M., and Burket, R. (1984). Issues in fertility control for mentally retarded female adolescents: I. Sexual activity, sexual abuse, and contraception. Pediatrics. 73: 445–450.
Colwell, S. O. (1984). The adolescent with developmental disorders. In Blum, R. W. (ed.), Chronic Illness and Disabilities in Childhood and Adolescence, Grune & Stratton, Orlando, pp. 327–346.
Craft, M., and Craft, A. (1978). Sex and the Mentally Handicapped, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
Dunn, L. M. (1981). Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Revised: Manual for Forms L and M, American Guidance Service, Circle Pines, NM.
Fegan, L., and Rauch, A. (1993). Sexuality and People with Intellectual Disability, 2nd edn., Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore.
Fidone, G. S. (1987). Homosexuality in institutionalized retardates. Infect. Control. 8: 231.
Gebhard, P. H. (1973). Sexual behavior of the retarded. In Cruz, F. F. de la, and LaVeck, G. D. (eds.), Human Sexuality and the Mentally Retarded, Brunner/Mazel, New York, pp. 29–49.
Gilby, R., Wolf, L., and Goldberg, B. (1989). Mentally retarded adolescent sex offenders. A survey and pilot study. Can. J. Psychiatry 34: 542–548.
Goldman, R. L. (1994). Children and youth with intellectual disabilities: Targets for sexual abuse. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Edu. 41: 89–102.
Griffiths, D. M., Quinsey, V. L., and Hingsburger, D. (1989). Changing Inappropriate Sexual Behavior: A Community-based Approach for Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore.
Guralnick, M. J. (1999). Family and child influences on the peer-related social competence of young children with developmental delays. Ment. Retard. Dev. Disabil. Res. Rev. 5: 21–29.
Hakim-Elahi, E. (1982). Contraceptive of choice for disabled (handicapped) person. N. Y. State J. Med. 82: 1601–1608.
Halpern, C. T., Joyner, K., Udry, J. R., and Suchindran, C. (2001). Smart teens don’t have sex (or kiss much either). J. Adolesc. Health. 26: 213–225.
McCabe, M. P., and Cummins, R. A. (1996). The sexual knowledge, experience, feelings and needs of people with mild intellectual disability. Edu. Training Mental Retard. Dev. Disabil. 31: 13–21.
McCabe, M. P., Cummins, R. A., and Reid, S. B. (1994). An empirical study of the sexual abuse of people with intellectual disability. Sexuality Disabil. 12: 297–306.
Painsky, A., Katz, S., and Kravetz, S. (1986). Sexual behavior patterns of institutionalized mentally handicapped persons. Int. J. Rehabil. Res. 9: 276–279.
Rowitz, L. (1988). The forgotten ones: Adolescence and mental retardation. Ment. Retard. 26: 115–117.
Schor, D. P. (1987). Sex and sexual abuse in developmentally disabled adolescents. Semin. Adolesc. Med. 3: 1–7.
Simonds, J. F. (1980). Sexual behaviors in retarded children and adolescents. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 1: 173–179.
Sobsey, D. (1994). Sexual abuse of individuals with intellectual disability. In Craft, A. (ed.), Practice Issues in Sexuality and Learning Disabilities, Routledge, London and New York, pp. 93–115.
Sobsey, D., Gray, S., Wells, D., Pyper, D., and Reimer-Heck, B. (1991). Disability, Sexuality, and Abuse: An Annotated Bibliography, Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore.
Szollos, A. A., and McCabe, M. P. (1995). The sexuality of people with mild intellectual disability: Perceptions of clients and caregivers. Aust. N. Z. J. Dev. Disabil. 20: 205– 222.
Tenbrinck, M. S. (1975). Sexuality and the retarded. Arizona Med. 32: 936–938.
Udry, J. R., and Bearman, P. S. (1998). New methods for new research on adolescent sexual behavior. In Jessor, R. (ed.), New Perspectives on Adolescent Risk Behavior, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 241–269.
West, R. (1978). Sex and the retarded (editorial). Med. J. Aust. 2: 360–362.
Wilgosh, L. (1990). Sexual assault and abuse of people with disabilities: Parents’ concerns. Dev. Disabil. Bull. 18: 44–50.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cheng, M.M., Udry, J.R. Sexual Experiences of Adolescents with Low Cognitive Abilities in the U.S. J Dev Phys Disabil 17, 155–172 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-005-3686-3
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-005-3686-3