LIŠTIAK MANDZÁKOVÁ, S. 2013. Sexual and partner life of persons with mental disabilities. Prague: Portal, 2013, 184 p. ISBN 978-80-262-0502-9.
A taboo topic is the sexuality of people with mental disabilities. It became "on the agenda" a few years ago in connection with the integration of people with disabilities into society and the effort to fully implement all their rights and needs. This publication therefore summarizes material presenting the individual views of experts on topics related to sexuality, the results of foreign research and the author's research from Slovak social service homes. It also brings the approach of professional employees of these homes, their statements and client statements, practical recommendations and practical experience. The author also deals with the issues of masturbation, homosexuality, pregnancy, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual abuse and the observance of the rights of these persons in the context of pedagogy, psychology, law, etc. The book is intended for special educators, social workers, psychologists and members of interdisciplinary teams focused on solving issues of sexuality of people with mental disabilities. As additional literature, it is suitable for students of the corresponding fields and for parents of children with mental disabilities. Introduction The possibility of forming a friendship, socializing with another person and loving him has a much greater meaning for a couple with mental disabilities than it might seem at first glance. I. Šelner (1999, p. 19)
Human sexuality is private and intimate, and at the same time an important, much-discussed topic - it is part of social relations, rules, norms, ethics and morality. A taboo topic is the sexuality of people with mental disabilities (hereafter MP1). It became "on the agenda" a few years ago in connection with the integration of people with disabilities into society and the effort to fully implement all their rights and needs - in this area, there are still a number of unresolved problems and unanswered questions.
Discussion of this issue is not yet common in our country. The situation in the field of sexuality of people with MP continues to be assessed as very complex. These persons are usually not allowed to express themselves in the sexual area, different rules apply to them than to the rest of society. The need of individuals with PD to establish a partner relationship is similar to that of other people, but as Libor Novosad (2009) points out, the complexity of the problem lies in the fact that a person with PD is limited by the negative attitude of society towards the mentioned interpersonal relationships. The sexual needs, behavior and manifestations of individuals with MP are different, just like with others. The wrong attitude of society and, first of all, the people responsible for their education (including sexual education) can deform them.
Worldwide, there has been little research on the topic of what people with MP expect from sexuality in terms of sexual intercourse, emotional relationships, marriage and raising children. There is also a lack of documentation of their MP level, social environment, previous sex education, gender, co-education, etc. There have been no comprehensive studies of sexuality and its manifestations in people with MP.
This publication therefore summarizes material presenting the individual views of experts on topics related to sexuality (Kozáková, 2004, 2006; Štěrbová, 2007, 2009, etc.), the results of foreign research by Sundram (1992), Murphy (2006), Conod and Servais (2008) and others. and research from Slovak social service homes (Mandzáková, 2011).
If we start from the latest knowledge about sexuality and partner relationships of people with MP and from the review of controversial claims of experts dealing with sexuality and its manifestations in these people, we can define their expectations and needs in this direction. Sexuality, if it is not suppressed, is inherent to these people, it is part of their life and they are capable of friendship if they can meet each other.
Although the subject of the publication is the target group of persons with PD, the supporting target group of individual topics and research findings are mainly persons with moderate and severe PD placed in institutional conditions, specifically in social service homes (hereafter DSS). It is not limited to the assessment of their sexuality and partner relationships, but also brings the approach of DSS professional employees oriented to this target group, statements of clients and professional employees, practical recommendations and practical experience.
The presented aspects of sexuality and the opinions of experts in this area for people with PD are interwoven in the individual chapters, so that the reader can view the issue from different angles.
The work is divided into six chapters. The first chapter deals with the epistemology of sexuality of people with PD. It analyzes the basic conceptual apparatus, philosophical, legal and legislative aspects of sexuality and indicates the starting points and controversies of sexual education of persons with PD. The second chapter is devoted to the attitudes towards the sexuality of people with MP. It discusses the roots of attitudes, myths, prejudices, facts and research findings about the sexuality of people with MP. The third chapter is devoted to the area of partner relationships and sexuality of people with PD. It introduces us to the controversies of experts on sexual issues, analyzes research findings and determinants of sexuality and indicates psychosexual aspects of development and possible consequences of suppressed sexual tension in people with MP. The fourth chapter deals with the risks of sexuality and sexual choice in people with MP, with a focus on sexual abuse, sexual rights and their (non)fulfillment, and ethical issues of the sexuality of these people, including issues of sexually transmitted diseases and homosexuality. The fifth chapter introduces the sexual education of persons with PD, emphasizes the justification of an interdisciplinary approach, approximates its form in institutional conditions in Slovakia and the basic philosophy of the approach to sexual education abroad. The sixth chapter presents the results of the theoretical analysis of the issue, research carried out in this area.
In the text, the terms clients with PD, users of social services, person with PD, child with PD etc. are used as synonyms. with the fact that it is always an individual with a reduced mental capacity with all the consequences (Štěrbová, 2004).
In the book, you can find an answer to the question: How can those who know and love children, youth and adults with MP help them to integrate positively, safely, responsibly and sexually into society and thus increase the quality of their lives?
OBJEDNAŤ PUBLIKÁCIU Contents
1 Epistemology of sexuality of people with MP Definition of the basic conceptual apparatus related to sexuality Philosophical concepts of approach to persons with PD in the provision of social services Legal and legislative aspects of the sexuality of people with MP Origins and controversies of sexual education of people with PD
2 Attitudes towards the sexuality of people with PD Roots of attitudes towards the sexuality of people with MP Myths and facts about the sexuality of people with MP Research findings regarding the attitudes towards sexuality of people with MP
3 Sexuality and partner relationships of persons with PD Controversies of experts on sexual issues of people with MP Research findings on manifestations of sexuality in people with MP Conditions determining sexuality and its manifestations in people with MP Research findings regarding the determinants of manifestations of sexuality in persons with MP Psychosexual aspects of the development of people with MP Sexual tension and possibilities of its ventilation in persons with MP
4 Risks of sexuality and sexual choice in people with MP Sexual abuse and exploitation of people with MP Sexual rights and their (non)fulfillment in persons with MP Ethical issues of sexuality of people with MP Sexually transmitted diseases in people with MP Homosexuality in people with MP
5 Sexual education of persons with MP Terminological issues of sexual education of persons with PD An interdisciplinary approach in the sexual education of people with PD Sexual education in institutional conditions in Slovakia The basic philosophy of the approach to sexual education of persons with MP abroad
6 Educational perspectives of sexual education of persons with PD Some methodological recommendations for teaching sexual education of people with PD Strategy for working with the sexuality of people with MP Proposals for the implementation of sexual education in institutional facilities for MPs in Slovakia
Details Number of pages: 184 pages Binding: paperback Language: Czech language ISBN: 9788026205029 Release year: 2013