The efficacy of interventions designed to prevent and protect people with intellectual disabilities from sexual abuse: a review of the literature
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14668203200500009 |
| Published date | 01 August 2005 |
| Pages | 13-27 |
| Date | 01 August 2005 |
| Author | Corinna Bruder,Biza Kroese |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
The Journal of Adult Protection Volume 7 Issue 2 • August 2005 ©Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) Limited 13
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Research paper
Introduction
It is now generally accepted that people with intellectual
disabilities areparticularly vulnerable to sexual abuse (eg Turk
&Brown, 1993). In the general population, experience of
sexual trauma or abuse is associated with psychological
disturbance (Sequeira & Hollins, 2003). The results of a
literature review carried out by Sequeira & Hollins (2003)
suggest that people with intellectual disabilities also experience
arange of symptoms, psychopathology and behavioural
difficulties following sexual abuse, similar to those experienced
by adults and children in the general population. In addition, it
has been claimed that developmental delay itself can be an
outcome not only of physical but also of sexual abuse (Sinason,
1988; Kelly
,1992). In an attempt to decrease the risk of sexual
abuse, intervention programmes have been designed that teach
protection and prevention skills to people with intellectual
disabilities. The section below will define the term ‘sexual
abuse’, examine prevalence rates in the intellectual disability
population, and explorefactors that might be responsible for
the increased vulnerability of this group.
The efficacy of interventions
designed to prevent and
protect people with
intellectual disabilities from
sexual abuse: a review of
the literature Corinna Bruder
Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust
Biza Stenfert Kroese
Shropshire County Primary Care Trust and the
University of Birmingham
intellectual disability
sexual abuse
protection
prevention
intervention
skill
abstract
This paper reviews the clinical
interventions used to address the
vulnerability of people with intellectual
disabilities to sexual abuse. Prevalence
of sexual abuse for this group is
discussed. Factors that are considered to
put people with intellectual disabilities
at an increased risk of sexual abuse are
also discussed.
As the teaching of protection and
prevention skills to adults and children
with intellectual disabilities has been
put forward as an effective intervention
to help avoid sexual abuse, a review of
nine studies that attempted to evaluate
such intervention programmes is carried
out. It is concluded that adults with
intellectual disabilities can successfully
be taught skills to prevent and protect
themselves from sexual abuse.However,
issues around the generalisation and the
maintenance of acquired skills have to
be considered. Recommendations for
future research are made. Finally, the
clinical implications of the results of this
review are discussed.
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