Sex Education for the Handicapped

Abstract

The handicapped are in need of family living courses even more than the non-handicapped for the following reasons: they often spend less time at home so parents have less opportunity to talk with them; their parents are often less qualified to teach them properly; they need more help in controlling their sexual impulses because they have less opportunity to express themselves in other areas; and because they may want to prevent the birth of children for their own sake or the sake of the child contraceptive information may be necessary. The only two programs revealed in a search of the literature were those of Chaplin and Kratter and Thorne. The paucity of material in the literature led the writer to contact by letter fifty-five individuals and agencies including those mentioned in Maws thesis on sex education. (Maw 1953) The letter stated that the author was doing research in the field of family life courses and sex education for the handicapped and asked for information on any such programs. Included in the letter to those working in the field of mental deficiency was the pamphlet To Protect the Retarded Adolescent published by the Human Betterment Association for Voluntary Sterilization. Forty-four answers were received. Most of these writers expressed a need for more information in this area but were unable to give any data or supply any leads. The letter from a specialists in Education of Exceptional Children of the Department of Health Education and Welfare is typical. We regret that we do not know of any studies specifically on sex education of the retarded aside from the general treatises in this field. While we have reason to believe that a considerable amount of sex education is carried on in the units on family living we find little specific reference in curriculum guides for the retarded. Also the writer made some inquiries in the Philadelphia metropolitan area to determine whether there were any programs in the special classes or in the schools for the handicapped. (excerpt)