Positive and Negative Sexual Cognitions of Autistic Individuals

Sexual cognitions are an important aspect of sexual well-being for all individuals; however, little is known about the sexual cognitions of autistic individuals. Therefore, our study aimed to explore the diversity, content, and frequencies of positive (PSC) and negative (NSC) sexual cognitions in this population. A total of 332 participants (57.5% women; 42.5% men) between the ages of 21 and 73 (M = 37.72, SD = 11.15) completed an online survey. Our results showed that almost all participants had experienced both positive and negative sexual cognitions. PSC were more diverse and experienced with greater frequency than NSC. In addition, gender (self-identified as being male) and having had relationship experience were associated with greater diversity and frequency of PSC, but not NSC. In terms of content, the most common experienced sexual cognitions for both men and women were intimacy-related. The men experienced 22 of the 56 PSC and 3 of the 56 NSC significantly more frequently than did the women; there were no cognitions that the women experienced more frequently than the men. A comparison to the results of studies of sexual cognitions among neurotypical individuals suggests that autistic individuals experience sexual cognitions in much the same way as their peers. However, sexual cognitions occur slightly less frequently and are somewhat less diverse. Nonetheless, the way in which they are experienced, and the content of the most frequent cognitions (mainly PSC about intimacy) may be indicative of sexual well-being.