The Saludiversex-M affective-sexual education program is effective in improving knowledge about sexuality among people with moderate intellectual disabilities and empowers support staff working with these populations.
Key Findings
Results
Knowledge about sexuality significantly increased among participants with moderate intellectual disabilities who received the Saludiversex-M intervention compared to those who did not.
A controlled trial design was used with a total of 99 Spanish participants with moderate intellectual disabilities
Participants completed a battery of instruments before and after the intervention
Multilevel analyses were used to assess change over time between intervention and control groups
The increase in knowledge was statistically significant for the intervention group relative to the control group
Results
Support staff who hetero-evaluated participants observed an increase in participants' knowledge about sexuality following the program.
30 support staff professionals completed hetero-evaluations of participants before and after the program
Support staff assessments provided an external, observational perspective on participant change
Staff-reported knowledge gains aligned with participant self-reported gains
This dual-source measurement (self-report and hetero-evaluation) strengthens the credibility of the findings
Results
Support staff reported decreased concern about uninhibited behaviors among participants who took part in the Saludiversex-M program.
Uninhibited behaviors are described as a specific concern among caregivers and support staff working with people with moderate intellectual disabilities
The reduction in concern was observed after the intervention period
This finding was based on hetero-evaluations completed by the 30 support staff professionals
The result suggests that the program may have positively influenced the expression or regulation of participants' affective-sexual behaviors as perceived by staff
Background
The Saludiversex-M program was specifically designed for people with moderate intellectual disabilities, who face conceptual, social, and practical limitations in accessing affective-sexual education.
People with intellectual disabilities, especially those with moderate disabilities, face additional challenges in affective-sexual education
The program targets conceptual, social, and practical limitations characteristic of moderate intellectual disability
The program is described as 'pioneering' for this specific population
The study was conducted in the Spanish context, with all 99 participants being Spanish
Results
The Saludiversex-M program was found to empower support staff working with people with moderate intellectual disabilities.
Empowerment of support staff is identified as a secondary outcome of the program
30 support staff professionals participated in the evaluation process
Staff empowerment is considered a component of sexual health promotion for this population
The program is described as an effective educational strategy for both participants and the professionals who support them
What This Means
This research suggests that a structured sexuality education program called Saludiversex-M can meaningfully improve knowledge about sexual and romantic health among people with moderate intellectual disabilities. The study tested the program with 99 Spanish adults who have moderate intellectual disabilities, comparing those who went through the program to those who did not. Both the participants themselves and the support staff who work with them reported improvements in sexuality-related knowledge after the program was completed.
The study also found that support staff became less worried about what the researchers called 'uninhibited behaviors' — actions related to sexuality that caregivers often find concerning — among participants who went through the program. This suggests the education may help participants understand and navigate their own affective and sexual feelings in ways that are more socially appropriate and self-aware. Thirty support staff members provided their own independent evaluations of participants before and after the program, adding an outside perspective that supported what participants reported about themselves.
This research matters because people with intellectual disabilities are often left out of sexual health education, despite having the same needs and rights as anyone else. The Saludiversex-M program is described as a pioneering effort specifically tailored to the cognitive and social profile of people with moderate intellectual disabilities. The findings suggest that with appropriately designed education, this population can gain meaningful knowledge about sexuality, which is considered a foundation for making safer and more empowered choices in their personal lives.
Estruch-García V, Gil-Llario M, Fernández-García O, Ballester-Arnal R. (2025). An Affective-Sexual Education Program for People With Moderate Intellectual Disabilities: Analysis of Its Effectiveness in the Spanish Context.. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health. https://doi.org/10.1111/psrh.12291