Abstract

PINHEIRO, Silvia Nara Siqueira. Sexuality and mental retardation: reviewing research. Psicol. esc. educ. [online]. 2004, vol.8, n.2, pp. 199-206. ISSN 1413-8557.

Gathering data regarding the sexuality of people who have mental retardation has been an area largely ignored in the Brazilian reality. This article aims to review published research about this theme from 1971 to this day. It also aims to verify the existence of accurate and valid instruments to judge the sexuality of this group. In this analysis it was found: the presence of a small number of articles in this theme; the lack of instruments to investigate the area; and the existence, in the foreign reality, of the Scale to People With Intellectual Disability: Sexuality, Knowledge, Experience and Needs (SEX KEN ID). In the research analyzed we concluded: the people who have mental retardation have few knowledge and sexual experience; neither parents or professionals provide them sexual education. We further concluded that it is necessary to adapt instruments that aim to explore the reality and from there develop sexual education programs.

Keywords : Sexuality; Mental retardation; Research.

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