Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities value healthy relationships and want to learn more about sexual health, but face significant barriers to accessing appropriate sexual health education.
Key Findings
Results
Survey responses indicated the importance of access to sexual health education for Special Olympics athletes, but significant barriers were identified.
13 participants total completed both a questionnaire and a 45-minute interview
Participants included Special Olympics athletes, coaches, and caregivers of Special Olympics athletes
The study used a mixed-methods approach combining survey responses and qualitative interviews
Barriers to sexual health education access were a prominent finding across participant groups
Results
Thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified three key themes: the importance of healthy relationships, inequalities in learning, and the need for information to promote safety.
Thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts from the 45-minute interviews
The theme of healthy relationships was identified as a central concern for participants
'Inequalities in learning' emerged as a distinct theme, suggesting disparate access to sexual health education among people with intellectual disabilities
Safety-related information was identified as a priority educational need by participants
Discussion
People with intellectual disabilities value healthy relationships and want to learn more about sexual health, consistent with existing evidence.
Findings were described as adding 'to existing evidence that people with intellectual disabilities value healthy relationships and want to learn more about sexual health'
The study included perspectives from athletes themselves, not just caregivers or coaches
The Special Olympics context provided a specific community setting for examining these needs
The study acknowledged that people with intellectual disabilities have equal rights to explore their sexuality and access sexual and reproductive healthcare
Conclusions
The study offered several recommendations to increase the effectiveness of sexual health education for people with intellectual disabilities.
Specific recommendations were derived from the combined survey and interview findings
Recommendations were aimed at improving sexual health education effectiveness for this population
The study was conducted within the Special Olympics athlete community, which may inform program-specific implementation
The small sample size of 13 participants limits generalizability but provides exploratory qualitative insight
What This Means
This research suggests that people with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics have real interests in learning about sexual health and forming healthy relationships, but face notable obstacles in getting that education. The study involved 13 people — including athletes, coaches, and caregivers — who filled out surveys and participated in 45-minute interviews. Survey results showed that sexual health education was considered important, while interviews revealed three main themes: the value of healthy relationships, unequal access to learning opportunities, and the need for information that keeps people safe.
This research suggests that athletes with intellectual disabilities are not passive recipients of care — they actively want information about relationships and sexual health, and they have opinions about how that education should be delivered. The finding around 'inequalities in learning' points to a gap where some individuals may receive little to no sexual health education compared to their peers without disabilities, which can leave them vulnerable.
The practical implication of this work is that programs like Special Olympics, as well as caregivers and healthcare providers, should consider developing or improving accessible sexual health education tailored to people with intellectual disabilities. The authors offer specific recommendations toward this goal, highlighting that acknowledging and supporting the sexual health needs of this population is both a rights issue and a safety issue.
Andreasen S, Allison T, Kamelchuk B, Formusa V, Reissner B, Howe S, et al.. (2025). Fostering Healthy Relationships in Special Olympic Athletes: Supporting the Intersection of Intellectual Disability and Sexual Health.. Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.70032