Sexual Knowledge, Experiences, and Pragmatic Language in Adults With and Without Autism: Implications for Sex Education

Abstract

Autistic adults have similar levels of desire for sexual and romantic relationships as their non-autistic peers. However, autistic adults are less likely to be in relationships and have less dating experience. We compared sexual knowledge, experiences, and pragmatic language ability in a community sample of young adults with (n = 27, mean age = 22.11) and without autism (n = 122, mean age = 19.47). Receipt of sex education and sexual knowledge did not differ between groups. However, autistic adults had significantly fewer partnered experiences and impaired pragmatic language. Within both groups, pragmatic skill predicted accurate sexual knowledge above and beyond general communication abilities. Findings suggest that sex education for autistic adults must address the social communication component of healthy romantic and sexual relationships.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Pragmatic language; Sex education; Sexual health.

Fig. 1

Hierarchical linear regression model for autistic participants. Model 1: Verbal IQ predicts Accuracy scores. Model 2: Recognition scores do not improve prediction of Accuracy scores. Model 3: Pragmatics improves prediction of Vocabulary Accuracy scores beyond Verbal IQ and Recognition scores

Fig. 2

Hierarchical linear regression model for non-autistic participants. Model 1: AQ Communication score predicts Vocabulary Accuracy scores. Model 2: Recognition scores improve prediction of Vocabulary Accuracy scores beyond AQ Communication scores. Model 3: Pragmatics improves prediction of Vocabulary Accuracy scores beyond AQ Communication and Recognition scores. AQ Com Autism Quotient Communication