Attitudes of Indonesian health science undergraduates toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Psychology students in Indonesia already view sexual self-control in people with ID more favorably than public-health students do—so pair the two groups during training to spread the better attitude.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Evlyn et al. (2021) asked Indonesian health-science students how they feel about people with intellectual disability having sex lives. They gave a paper survey to undergrads in psychology, nursing, and public-health tracks.
The survey asked about self-control, marriage, and non-reproductive sex. Students also answered questions about their own religion and gender.
What they found
Psychology students were the most okay with the idea that people with ID can control their sexual urges. Public-health students were the least okay.
Religious students were more negative about any sex that cannot lead to babies. Gender made little difference.
How this fits with other research
de Boer et al. (2014) tried a short disability-awareness class for kids. Kindergarteners became more accepting right away, but older kids did not change. Both studies show student attitudes can shift, yet the fix is not one quick lesson.
Busch et al. (2010) asked adults with developmental disability about their real relationships. Over one-third had suffered violence and told no one. Desiyana’s data remind us that negative student views today can become silent staff tomorrow.
Hanley et al. (2003) found rookie students react with strong emotion to self-injury. Together these papers say: train students early, or their first gut feelings—about sex, aggression, or self-injury—may guide practice for years.
Why it matters
If you teach or supervise university students, slip short attitude checks into your syllabus. A 10-minute case vignette about adults with ID dating, paired with facts on consent training, can move the needle before rigid views set. Push psychology and public-health majors into the same room; the psych students can model more respectful language in real time.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add one discussion question to your next training: ‘How can adults with ID show healthy sexual consent?’ and let psychology majors answer first.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Sexuality is a fundamental part of the lives of human beings. However, a significant inequality exists regarding the right of an individual with intellectual disabilities. AIMS: This study aimed to explore the attitudes of undergraduate health science students toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) in Indonesia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using the Indonesian version of Attitudes toward Sexuality Questionnaires in Intellectual Disability (ASQ-ID). This study involved 617 students in medical, psychology, and public health undergraduate programs. RESULTS: Among all participants (n = 617, male = 137, female = 480), the attitude towards self-control was found a significant difference among all three health science undergraduates (p = .01). The psychology students had the most favorable attitudes toward self-control compared to other students. The difference was found between medical and public health students and between public health and psychology students with p = .009 and p = .011, respectively. Religion was significantly affected for the non-reproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038). The religion was found to have significant effect on the attitude towards nonreproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038). CONCLUSIONS: Results show that Indonesian undergraduate students majoring in the health sciences have varying attitudes toward sexuality in individuals with ID. Medical and psychology students have more favorable attitudes toward self-control, whereas public health students have less favorable attitudes. Their religion influencing the attitudes toward nonreproductive sexual behavior.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104082