Abstract
The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD, 2011) assert that individuals with intellectual disabilities, irrespective of gender, have an equal right to learn about and experience their own sexuality. A review of the extant literature indicated that the voices of women with intellectual disabilities on the topic of familial culture, as it relates to sexuality, are rarely included (McCarthy, 1993; Shakespeare, 2000; Siebers, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role of familial culture and lived experiences of women with intellectual disabilities, ages 21-35, in understanding their own sexuality. Eight women participated in individual and three repeated focus group interviews. The questions that guided this study included: (1) What is the role of familial culture in addressing sexuality for young women with intellectual disabilities and (2) How do young women with intellectual disabilities describe their understanding of sexuality? The findings of this study suggested that familial culture played a significant role in the women's decisions regarding accessing their own sexuality. In addition, data collected indicated that women's lived experiences highly influenced in their understanding of sexuality and as a women with intellectual disabilities. Data from a thematic analysis were used to develop a person-centered theoretical model for understanding sexuality. In addition, these data were used to create a research-based theatrical script, known as an Ethnodrama (Saldana, 2005) to bring forward the voices of these women affirming their understanding of sexuality.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.