Expanding the test of counterfeit deviance: are sexual knowledge, experience and needs a factor in the sexualised challenging behaviour of adults with intellectual disability?
Adults with ID who show sexualised challenging behaviour already know the facts—teach relationship skills instead.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team compared two groups of adults with intellectual disability. One group showed sexualised challenging behaviour. The other did not.
Both groups took the SexKen-ID survey. It asks about sexual knowledge, past experience, and unmet needs for dating or intimacy.
What they found
The sexual-behaviour group actually scored higher on sexual knowledge. They also said they wanted more dating and intimacy.
Surprisingly, both groups reported the same level of real sexual experience. Knowing more did not stop the challenging behaviour.
How this fits with other research
Hagopian et al. (1999) built the SexKen-ID tool. Without that earlier work, these scores could not be compared.
Madden et al. (2003) found that sexual offenders with mild ID were less impulsive, not more. Both studies overturn simple “lack-of-knowledge” or “impulse” explanations.
Luckett et al. (2002) warned against re-labelling challenging behaviour as crime. Xenitidis et al. (2010) add: don’t call it “counterfeit deviance” either—clients know the facts but still need help with relationships.
Why it matters
Stop teaching basic anatomy over and over. Shift your plan to social and dating skills. Help clients ask someone out, set boundaries, and handle rejection. That targets the real unmet need.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
It is posited within the literature that the sexualised challenging behaviour of adults with intellectual disability may be influenced by low levels of sexual knowledge, lack of sexual experience and unmet sexual needs. In this study, individuals with sexualised challenging behaviour were identified and matched for gender, age and ability level with individuals recruited to the non-sexualised and no challenging behaviour groups. All (n=24) were interviewed using the Socio-Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Tool - Revised (SSKAAT-R) and the Sexual Knowledge, Experience and Needs Scale for Intellectual Disability (Sex-Ken-ID) to assess their sexual knowledge, experience and needs. Adaptive behaviour was measured as a covariate. In the current study, contrary to expectations in the wider literature, the sexualised challenging behaviour group showed significantly higher levels of sexual knowledge in several areas when adaptive behaviour was controlled. Their needs in relation to Dating and Intimacy were also significantly higher but no differences were found between groups in relation to sexual experience. The implications of these findings for service provision are outlined along with the considerations of directions for future research.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2010 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2009.08.003