Interventions for inappropriate sexual behavior in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A brief review

Falligant and colleagues scanned the research on inappropriate sexual behavior in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They picked studies that used behavior-analytic tactics such as functional assessment, differential reinforcement, or response interruption. The team did not pool numbers; they simply summarized what each paper tried and whether it worked.

Every included study showed that behavior-analytic steps lowered unwanted sexual touching, public exposure, or masturbation. No study reported harm or worsening of behavior. The authors conclude that ABA tools are ready for use, but larger and longer studies are still needed.

Older reviews on aggression and SIB already pushed for functional assessment. Wynne et al. (1988) warned that punishment-heavy plans lacked follow-up data. Falligant echoes that call, showing the field has moved toward reinforcement.

Brown et al. (2019) found families and staff often fear any talk of sexuality. Falligant extends that work by giving practitioners concrete protocols to replace fear with action.

Lang et al. (2011) traced a shift from punishment to function-based plans for rumination. Falligant shows the same shift now happening with sexual behavior, suggesting a broader trend across topographies.

You now have a green light to treat inappropriate sexual behavior the same way you treat SIB: conduct a functional assessment, build a reinforcement package, and take data. Share the Falligant review with wary team members; it shows the method is both ethical and effective. Start with simple differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior; the review says that single step works in most cases.