The Complexities of Sexual Health Among Adolescents Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The complexities of living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can derail an adolescent’s opportunity to engage in healthy sexual relationships. Social connection, a large component of healthy sexual relationships, is often a major obstacle for adolescents diagnosed with ASD. Sexual health goes beyond the physical component and relies on emotional and social skillsets that directly influence appropriate sexual behaviors and connection with others. The concept of appropriate psychosexual norms is quite important and can be adopted by exposing adolescents with ASD to social environments that form healthy interactions with others. The sexual behavior of adolescents with ASD is often observed from a problem-based perspective rather than a strength-based approach. There is a lack of evidence-based sexual education curriculums geared towards the needs of adolescents with ASD which bring closer together the dynamical relationship between sexual socialization and sexual behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this conceptual paper is to describe that dynamic relationship and how inadequate sexual socialization often leads to socially “inappropriate” sexual behaviors of adolescents with ASD.