Experience of sexuality in people with Down syndrome with mild intellectual disability

Abstract

Introduction: People with Down syndrome face developmental barriers due to information deficits, difficulty interpreting stimuli, and stereotypes that foster discrimination. Objective: To understand the barriers and challenges faced by people with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability in their sexual experience. Method: A qualitative approach with an interpretive phenomenological design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a non-probabilistic sample (snowball and egocentric networks), with data processed in Atlas.ti under categories of sexuality perception and personal, family, and social barriers. Results: Critical evidence was generated regarding sexuality comprehension, useful for families, educators, and professionals to strengthen sexual guidance. Conclusions: The experience of sexuality is conditioned by sociocultural and family restrictions that limit autonomy, demanding the urgent implementation of rights-based comprehensive sexuality education programs.