‘Transformed rights’ sexual health programme evaluation for the parents and service workers of adults with an intellectual disability

Background: To promote sexual health in adults with an intellectual disability (ID) in Taiwan, sexual health programmes were provided to adults with ID, their parents and service workers. This study evaluates the impact of these programmes that involved the parents and service workers. Methods: Intervention and participatory research paradigms were applied to develop, implement and evaluate programmes that address the challenges that relate to the sexual rights of adults with ID. Additionally, the programmes fostered open dialogue among the participants concerning the sexual health of people with ID. In total, 57 parents and 164 service workers were involved in the programmes. A quasi-experimental design and standardised questionnaires (Attitudes to Sexuality Questionnaire – Individuals with an Intellectual Disability), as well as in-depth interviews, were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on the programmes' effectiveness and participants' experiences between April 2012 and July 2015. Results: The findings revealed that after the programmes were implemented, attitudes towards the sexual rights of people with ID were significantly more positive among both the parents and service workers. Participation in the sexual health programmes facilitated constructive dialogue by revealing hidden concerns and by transforming the perspectives of the parents and service workers from viewing sexuality as a social problem to understanding the sexual rights of adults with ID. Conclusions: Both the quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate that the programmes had a positive impact on the parents and service workers in terms of their attitudes towards the sexual rights of people with ID. Open dialogue and reciprocal interaction strategies caused transformations in the perspectives of parents and service workers on sexual health.