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An investigation of students’ with mild learning disabilities reactions to participating in sexuality research
Author(s) -
Thomas Gail,
Kroese Biza Stenfert
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.2005.00336.x
Subject(s) - interview , psychology , confidentiality , human sexuality , tutor , medical education , informed consent , learning disability , clinical psychology , pedagogy , developmental psychology , medicine , alternative medicine , gender studies , pathology , sociology , political science , law
Summary This study investigates 35 students’ with mild learning disabilities reactions to participating in a research project exploring their sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Students completed an informed consent procedure prior to their participation in the sexuality research and all were interviewed using a confidential interview procedure. During the research interviews, each student's reaction to participation was observed and recorded by their interviewer. Following the interviews, each student's reaction to participation was observed and recorded by their college tutor. Researchers observed that although some students were embarrassed discussing certain sexual topics, none chose to stop their interviews when invited. Ten students requested additional information from their interviewers about the issues discussed. Tutors reported that no students appeared anxious or distressed following their interviews and that no inappropriate sexualized behaviour, or talk, were observed. Tutors also reported that several students appeared to have been positively affected by their participation. No tutors expressed concern about their students participating in similar research in the future. It is concluded that a number of methodological and participant factors may have accounted for the positive outcomes reported. The implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.