Sexual Well-Being and Quality of Life Among High-Functioning  Adults with Autism

AbstractThe current research addresses the effect that being in an intimate relationship has on quality of life and well-being among high-functioning young adults on the autism spectrum (HFA). The research included 31 participants: 14 involved in intimate relationships (HFA-R) and 17 not (HFA-NR). In this integrated (quantitative and qualitative) research, participants completed on-line questionnaires on demographics, quality of life and sexuality. We hypothesized that HFA-R will report higher quality of life and sexual well-being than HFA-NR. Further, a correlation was predicted between quality of life (including: satisfaction, productive capacity, social belonging/community inclusion and independence and empowerment) and sexual well-being (including: self-esteem, sexual depression and sexual preoccupation/sexual worries), especially among HFA-R. Despite the lack of significant differences in quality of life, differences were found in the indices ’ content areas. There was a higher sense of social belonging/community inclusion among HFA-R, and a positive correlation between sexual well-being and productive capacity among this group. A correlation was found between high productive capacity and low sexual worries among HFA-R, but not among H FA-NR. Contrary to expectations, a positive correlation was found between sexual well-being and satisfaction among HFA-NR, while no such correlation was found among HFA-R. The findings are discussed in the context of healthy sexuality an...
Source: Sexuality and Disability - Category: Disability Source Type: research