Sexual Knowledge, Experiences, and Pragmatic Language in Adults With and Without Autism: Implications for Sex Education.

Researchers found that autistic young adults have similar sexual knowledge as their non-autistic peers and receive similar sex education. However, autistic participants had fewer romantic and sexual experiences and more difficulty with social communication. The study suggests that social communication skills are important for understanding sexual health information, highlighting the need for sex education programs that specifically address communication challenges for autistic individuals.

This 2023 study compared sexual knowledge, experiences, and communication skills between 27 autistic adults (mean age 22.11) and 122 non-autistic adults (mean age 19.47). While both groups showed similar levels of sexual knowledge and had received comparable sex education, autistic participants reported significantly fewer partnered sexual experiences and demonstrated impaired pragmatic language skills. Importantly, pragmatic communication skills predicted accurate sexual knowledge in both groups, even when controlling for general communication abilities. The findings suggest that autistic adults' challenges in romantic and sexual relationships may be linked to social communication difficulties rather than lack of knowledge or education.

Sex education programs for autistic adults should incorporate social communication skill development alongside traditional sexual health content. Clinicians should assess pragmatic language abilities when designing sexuality interventions and consider the role of communication challenges in relationship difficulties.

Small sample size (n=27 autistic participants), age difference between groups (autistic group older), cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences, and community sample may not represent all autistic adults seeking services.

Autistic adults have similar levels of desire for sexual and romantic relationships as their non-autistic peers. However, autistic adults are less likely to be in relationships and have less dating experience. We compared sexual knowledge, experiences, and pragmatic language ability in a community sample of young adults with (n = 27, mean age = 22.11) and without autism (n = 122, mean age = 19.47). Receipt of sex education and sexual knowledge did not differ between groups.

However, autistic adults had significantly fewer partnered experiences and impaired pragmatic language. Within both groups, pragmatic skill predicted accurate sexual knowledge above and beyond general communication abilities. Findings suggest that sex education for autistic adults must address the social communication component of healthy romantic and sexual relationships.