Handicapped adolescents-sexuality and affectivity workshops

Abstract

Medicine has extended the life of chronic and handicapped patients who formerly died before adolescence. One of the problems they encounter is the denial of their sexuality by the family and society. Between 1996 and 1998, 32 adolescents, either handicapped or suffering from chronic diseases participated in the Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Integral Development of the Adolescent (CEMERA) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, in a programme of workshops on affectivity and sexuality. 25 mothers of disabled adolescents participated in a series of parallel workshops. They were evaluated at the beginning and end of the workshops and 6 months later using a test previously employed to evaluate normal adolescents. The level of self-esteem increased (Coopersmiths test), with a significantly increase in the knowledge acquired about affectivity and reproduction. There was also an increase in the mothers awareness. Recognition of the mothers feelings would improve the doctor-patient-family relationship. We recommend this type of workshop for education about affectivity and sexuality as part of the integral support for these families.