Sexual Health, Orientation, and Activity in Adolescents and Adults with Autism

First published: September 18, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2604

Commentary

Research findings suggest that there are significant differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals in terms of sexual orientation and behavior.

There was a study of an anonymous online survey of n = 2386 adults (n = 1183 autistic) aged 16-90 years that examined sexual behavior, risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and sexual orientation.

It found that those with autism were less likely to report sexual activity or heterosexuality than those without, but more likely to self-report asexuality or "other" sexuality.

Overall, the autistic and nautical groups did not differ in the age of onset or contraction of sexually transmitted diseases.

When assessing sex differences, some reports indicate that autistic males are much more likely to be bisexual. Also, autistic females are very likely to be homosexual.

Thus, it has been shown that both males and females with autism may express a broader range of sexual orientations in gender-specific patterns that differ from their general population peers.

In a direct comparison of males and females with autism, females have a more diverse sexual orientation, are more likely to engage in sexual activity, are less likely to identify as heterosexual, and have a lower average age of first initiation of sexual activity.