Previous studies have shown that psychosexual functioning in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is hampered and emphasize the need for a specialized training program tailored to their needs. Therefore, an individual training program was developed; the Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program. The current pilot study systematically evaluated whether psychosexual knowledge increased after taking part in the TTT program, using a pre- and post-training design in 30 adolescents with ASD (77 % male, mean age = 14.80 years, mean intelligence = 96.96). Psychosexual knowledge increased significantly (pre-training total score: M = 25.74, SD = 6.20; post-training total score: M = 33.52 (SD = 2.78); F(1,29) = 65.20, p < .001). The TTT program may be useful to improve psychosexual knowledge and functioning in adolescents with ASD, yet these findings are preliminary, and a more elaborate controlled trial is needed.

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doi.org/10.1007/s10803-014-2301-9, hdl.handle.net/1765/91098
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

Dekker, L., van der Vegt, E., Visser, K., Tick, N., Boudesteijn, F., Verhulst, F., … Greaves-Lord, K. (2015). Improving Psychosexual Knowledge in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot of the Tackling Teenage Training Program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1532–1540. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2301-9