Supporting the Sexual Health of College Students with IDD: A Call for Trainings for Inclusive Postsecondary Education Program Staff

• Main Authors: Shemeka Thorpe, Lindsey Oakes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mason Journals 2019-07-01
• Series: Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education
• Subjects: sexual health; support staff; intellectual disabilities; developmental disabilities; college students
• Online Access: https://journals.gmu.edu/index.php/jipe/article/view/2411

The purpose of this study was to examine the sexual health needs, beliefs, and access to resources for support staff of students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) in a postsecondary education (PSE) program. Sixteen support staff from a PSE program in the Southeast United States were recruited. Online surveys containing open-ended and Likert scale items were administered. Staff reported that students had limited sexual health knowledge and were uncomfortable discussing their sexual health. Majority of the staff had not attended any sexual health trainings. PSE programs lack the necessary sexual health policies for staff to effectively address studentsâ sexual health questions.