Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Current Psychiatry Reports
Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports 4/2015

01-04-2015 | Sexual Disorders (G Dwyer, Section Editor)

Sexual Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorders: an Update and Discussion

Author: Denise C. Kellaher

Published in: Current Psychiatry Reports | Issue 4/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

In the last few years, we have gained a deeper understanding about sexuality among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Greater interest in this subject and improvements in the empirical study of ASD populations are driving this enlightenment. The data is dispelling antiquated notions that ASD individuals are asexual, sexually unknowledgeable and inexperienced, and/or disinterested in relationships. We still have a ways to go in examining paraphilic or deviant arousal sexual behaviors among ASD individuals. This manuscript provides an update on sexuality research in ASD in the last few years. This is accompanied by a discussion of the paraphilic type sexual behaviors observed among some ASD individuals.
Literature
1.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (DSM-III). Washington: APA; 1980.
2.
3.
4.
Ruble L, Dalrymple N. Social/sexual awareness of persons with autism: a parental perspective. Arch Sex Behav. 1993;22:229–40.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Realmuto GM, Ruble LA. Sexual behaviors in autism: problems of definition and management. J Autism Dev Disord. 1999;29(2):121–7.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Konstantareas M, Lunsky Y. Sociosexual knowledge, experience, attitudes, and interests of individuals with autistic disorder and developmental delay. J Autism Dev Disord. 1997;27:397–413.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Ousley OY, Mesibov GB. Sexual attitudes and knowledge of high-functioning adolescents and adults with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 1991;21(4):471–81.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Koller R. Sexuality and adolescents with autism. Sex Disabil. 2000;18(2):125–35.CrossRef
9.
Chesterman P, Rutter SC. Case report: Asperger’s syndrome and sexual offending. J Forensic Psychiatry. 1993;4(3):555–62.CrossRef
10.
Williams PG, Allard AM, Sears L. Case study: cross-gender preoccupations with two male children with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 1996;26:635–42.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Cooper S, Mohamed WN, Collacott RA. Possible Asperger’s syndrome in a mentally handicapped transvestite offender. J Intellect Disabil Res. 1993;37:189–94.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Kohn Y, Tarek F, Ratzoni G, Apter A. Aggression and sexual offense in Asperger’s syndrome. Israel J Psychiatr Relat Sci. 1998;35:293–9.
13.
Despert JL. Reflections on early infantile autism. J Autism Childhood Schizophr. 1971;1(4):363–7.CrossRef
14.
Dewey M, Everard M. The near-normal autistic adolescent. J Autism Childhood Schizophr. 1974;4(4):347–56.CrossRef
15.
Torisky D, Torisky C. Sex education and sexual awareness building for autistic children and youth: some viewpoints and considerations. J Autism Dev Disord. 1985;15(2):213–27.CrossRef
16.
DeMyer M. Parents and children in autism. New York: Wiley; 1979.
17.
Hellemans H, Colson K, Verbraeken C, Vermeiren R, Deboutte D. Sexual behavior in high functioning male adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2007;37:260–9.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Sperry LA, Mesibov GB. Perceptions of social challenges of adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism. 2005;9(4):362–76.CrossRefPubMed
19.
Howlin P. Outcome in adult life for more able individuals with autism or Asperger syndrome. Autism. 2000;4:63.CrossRef
20.
Hénault I, Attwood T. The sexual profile of adults with Asperger’s syndrome: the need for support and intervention. In: Hénault I, editor. Asperger’s syndrome and sexuality: from adolescence through adulthood. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2006. p. 183–92.
21.••
Dewinter J, Vermeiren R. Sexuality in adolescent boys with autism spectrum disorder: self-reported behaviours and attitudes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2014; Sep 12 published online. This study demonstrated no significant differences in sexual experiences and interests between high functioning ASD adolescents and controls. Importantly, he directly surveyed adolescents as opposed to relying on other informants for the data.
22.•
Byers ES, Nichols S, Voyer S. Challenging stereotypes: sexual functioning of single adults with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013;43:2617–27. Comparison of ASD adults by gender comported with known differences between males and females in terms of sexual arousability, solitary desire, and interest.CrossRefPubMed
23.•
Brown-Lavoie S, Viecili M, Weiss J. Sexual knowledge and victimization in adults with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2014;44:2185–96. This study revealed that as much as 75 % of ASD individuals have been sexually coerced and/or abused by others and this was partly associated with having less sexual knowledge.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
24.
Mehzabin P, Stokes M. Self-assessed sexuality in young adults with high-functioning autism. Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2011;5:614–21.CrossRef
25.
26.•
Gilmour L, Schalomon PM, Smith V. Sexuality in a community based sample of adults with autism spectrum disorder. Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2012;6:313–8. There were no significant differences in sexual experience and knowledge when comparing ASD to neurotypical adults.CrossRef
27.
Cridland E, Jones S, Caputi P, Magee C. Being a girl in a boys’ world: investigating the experiences of girls with autism spectrum disorders during adolescence. J Autism Dev Disord. 2014;44:1261–74.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Gantman A, Kapp S, Orenski K, Laugeson E. Social skills training for young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: a randomized controlled pilot study. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012;42:1094–103.CrossRefPubMed
29.•
Holmes L, Himle M. Brief report: parent–child sexuality communication and autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2014;44(11):2964–70. This study revealed differences in how/whether parents choses to provide sexual education to their ASD children. Parents generally tended to omit information regarding socio-sexual relationship building and diversity of sexual behaviors.CrossRefPubMed
30.••
Ballan M. Parental perspectives of communication about sexuality in families of children with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012;42:676–84. Parents still find it challenging to know when their ASD child is ready for sexual education.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Gougeon NA. Sexuality and autism: a critical review of selected literature using a social-relational model of disability. Am J Sex Educ. 2010;5:328–61.CrossRef
32.••
Dewinter J, Vermeiren R, Vanwesenbeeck I, van Nieuwenhuizen C. Autism and normative sexual development: a narrative review. J Clin Nurs. 2013;22:3467–83. This study presents a thorough review of literature on sexuality in ASD.CrossRefPubMed
33.
34.
Edmonson S, McCombs KF, Wish B. What retarded adults believe about sex. Am J Ment Defic. 1979;84:11–8.PubMed
35.
Ludlow B. Contemporary issues in sexuality and mental retardation. Adv Mental Retard Dev Disabil. 1991;4:1–26.
36.
Stokes M, Kaur A. High-functioning autism and sexuality: a parental perspective. Autism. 2005;9(3):266–89.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Trotter E, Alderson K. University students’ definitions of having sex, sexual partners, and virginity loss: the influence of participant gender, sexual experience, and contextual factors. Can J Hum Sex. 2007;16(1–2):11–29.
38.
39.
Chan LG, Saluja B. Sexual offending and improvement in autistic characteristics after acquired brain injury: a case report. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2011;45:902–3.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Coskun M, Mukaddes NM. Mirtazapine treatment in a subject with autistic disorder and fetishism. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2008;18:206–9.CrossRefPubMed
41.
42.
Early MC, Erickson CA, Wink LK, McDougle CJ, Scott EL. Case report: 16-year-old male with autistic disorder with preoccupation with female feet. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012;42:1133–7.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Milton J, Duggan C, Latham A, Egan V, Tantam D. Case history of co-morbid Asperger’s syndrome and paraphilic behaviour. Med Sci Law. 2002;42:237–44.PubMed
44.
Müller J. Are sadomasochism and hypersexuality in autism linked to amygdalohippocampal lesion? J Sex Med. 2011;8:3241–9.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Murrie DC, Warren JI, Kristiansson M, Dietz PE. Asperger’s syndrome in forensic settings. Int J Forensic Mental Health. 2002;1(1):59–70.CrossRef
46.
Ray F, Marks C, Bray-Garretson H. Challenges to treating adolescents with Asperger’s syndrome who are sexually abusive. Sex Addict Compulsivity. 2004;11:265–85.CrossRef
47.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition text revision (DSM-5). Washington: APA; 2013.
48.
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition text revision (DSM-IV-TR). Washington: APA; 2000.CrossRef
49.
Onitz EM, Ritvo ER. Neuropsychological mechanisms underlying perceptual inconstancy in autistic and schizophrenic children. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1968;19:22–7.CrossRef
50.
Ornitz EM. Disorders of perception common to infantile autism and schizophrenia. Compr Psychiatry. 1969;10:259–74.CrossRefPubMed
51.
Singh G, Coffey B. Sexual obsessions, compulsions, suicidality and homicidality in and adolescent diagnosed with bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, obsessive-compulsive disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, and mild mental retardation. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2012;22(3):250–3.CrossRefPubMed
52.
Hingsburger D, Griffiths D, Quinsey, V. Detecting counterfeit deviance: differentiating sexual deviance from sexual inappropriateness. Habilitative Mental Healthc Newsl. 1991:51–54.
53.
Griffiths D, Hingsburger D, Hoath J, Ioannou S. ‘Counterfeit deviance’ revisited. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2013;26:471–80.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Sexual Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorders: an Update and Discussion
Author
Denise C. Kellaher
Publication date
01-04-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Psychiatry Reports / Issue 4/2015
Print ISSN: 1523-3812
Electronic ISSN: 1535-1645
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-015-0562-4

Other articles of this Issue 4/2015

Current Psychiatry Reports 4/2015 Go to the issue

Women's Mental Health (D Rubinow, Section Editor)

Psychiatric Consultation to the Postpartum Mother

Personality Disorders (C Schmahl, Section Editor)

Recent Advances in the Developmental Aspects of Borderline Personality Disorder

Personality Disorders (C Schmahl, Section Editor)

Personality Disorders in DSM-5: Emerging Research on the Alternative Model

Disaster Psychiatry: Trauma, PTSD, and Related Disorders (E Foa and A Asnaani, Section Editors)

Psychopharmacological Strategies in the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): What Have We Learned?

Eating Disorders (C Grilo, Section Editor)

Recent Advances in Neuroimaging to Model Eating Disorder Neurobiology

Eating Disorders (C Grilo, Section Editor)

Current Considerations Regarding Food Addiction