Box Matthew, Shawe Jill
Specialist Practitioner - Community Learning Disabilities Nursing, Department of Learning Disabilities, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Kingsfield Centre, Redhill, UK.
J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care. 2014 Apr;40(2):82-8. doi: 10.1136/jfprhc-2012-100509. Epub 2013 Jun 20.
People with learning disabilities are frequently denied or restricted in their right to express their sexuality by restrictive policies, negative attitudes or lack of awareness of their needs. They also tend to have differing and unrecognised sexual health needs to those of the general population. Evidence suggests that acquiring a greater knowledge and awareness of sexuality and relationship issues helps to decrease these disadvantages and to promote a greater sense of well-being for this group.
The experiences of eight adults with learning disabilities attending a sexuality and relationship group, based on a mixture of validated and established sexuality and relationship programmes, were explored using a case study approach. Participants' experiences were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis supported by participant observation and pre- and post-group assessment of knowledge.
Participant experiences were unique and individual, with few shared opinions. All participants demonstrated increases in their total knowledge scores in the post-group assessment and felt that attending the group had changed their views on relationships; they felt that they were more able to talk to others, to trust someone, to feel confident to want longer relationships and to be married with children.
Sexuality and relationship groups can offer participants a beneficial and positive experience to explore such issues. The experiences of participants could be enhanced through adopting a person-centred approach and through recognising that participants have individual experiences that may not be shared within the group environment.
学习障碍者表达性取向的权利常常因限制性政策、负面态度或对其需求的忽视而被剥夺或限制。他们的性健康需求也往往与普通人群不同且未得到认可。有证据表明，对性取向和人际关系问题有更多的了解和认识有助于减少这些不利因素，并提升该群体的幸福感。
采用案例研究方法，探讨了八名成年学习障碍者参加一个性取向与人际关系小组的经历，该小组基于一系列经过验证和确立的性取向与人际关系项目。通过半结构化访谈收集参与者的经历，并采用定性内容分析法进行分析，同时辅以参与者观察以及小组前后的知识评估。
参与者的经历是独特且个体化的，很少有共同的观点。所有参与者在小组后的评估中总知识得分均有所提高，并认为参加该小组改变了他们对人际关系的看法；他们觉得自己更有能力与他人交谈、信任他人、有信心追求更长久的关系并结婚生子。
性取向与人际关系小组可以为参与者提供探索此类问题的有益且积极的体验。通过采用以人为本的方法，并认识到参与者有个体经历，这些经历可能在小组环境中无法共享，可以增强参与者的体验。
