Adolescents, Sex Education and Asperger’s Syndrome

Jul 23, 2020

By Dr Wesley Turner, Clinical Psychologist at Minds & Hearts

The onset of puberty is often a stressful time for adolescents and parents alike. It is time typically of particular concern to parents of adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome. While the ups and downs of puberty are largely unavoidable, there are strategies that parents can put in place to assist their adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome, in learning the ins and outs of sexual development and sexual relationships.

In approaching the combination of sex education and Asperger’s Syndrome, one such strategy for parents to consider—taken from Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty, Sex and Relationships for People with Asperger’s syndrome (Attwood, 2008)—is described below.

Sex Education and Asperger’s Syndrome: Developing a Timeline for Sexual Behaviour

Parents and their adolescent are encouraged to develop a timeline relating to dating, sexual physical contact and sexual intercourse.

This timeline can be broken down into three main stages:

Stage 1

– Meeting and noticing other individuals of an appropriate age/level of development

– Understanding and dealing with physical responses (e.g., blushing, increased heart-rate, erections, etc.)

Stage 2

– Flirting (making jokes, being playful, etc.)

– Spending time together (e.g., at school)

– Gift giving and/or sharing

– Dating (e.g., asking out, individual dates, groups dates, etc.)

Stage 3

– Sharing intimate personal space

– Hand holding, hugging/cuddling

– Kissing

– Touching (over and under clothes)

– Oral sex

– Sexual intercourse

Each of the above stages should be fleshed out in sufficient detail, with estimated times/ages for each step, discussion of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours for each step, etc.

The adolescent and their parents are encouraged to check in with people they trust to get healthy advice, and to that end, they are encouraged to have a mentor at school and at home. Ideally this is a friend and/or family member that is reliable and trustworthy, but can also be school staff and parents/carers. Adolescents should be encouraged and rewarded for checking with their mentor/s when they find situations confusing or contradictory and appropriate choices/behaviours should also be rewarded.

Puberty is often a time when parents of adolescents with Asperger’s Syndrome become especially worried about their child’s sexual maturity, emotional understanding and trajectory in life. Sex education and Asperger’s Syndrome do mix: in fact, with the development of concrete, well-defined rules and strategies, the important and necessary transition to adulthood can be made less stressful for parents and adolescent alike.

We encourage parents and guardians to proactively seek information and advice via appropriate resources and professionals about sex education and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Attwood, S. (2008). Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty, Sex and Relationships for People with Asperger’s syndrome. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.