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This study aimed to (1) describe male mildly intellectually disabled (MID) adolescents’ general romantic and sexual development, education experience with topics on sexuality and relationships, and frequency of undesirable sexual behaviors and experiences; and (2) explore how sexuality related attitudes, self-esteem, sexual knowledge, and resilience to peer pressure link to MID male adolescents’ sexual and dating violence (SDV) perpetration, SDV victimization and sexual risk behavior. We used baseline data from a randomized controlled trial on a program for psychosexual health promotion and prevention of undesirable sexual experiences for MID male adolescents (N = 120, Mage = 15.03 years), assessed with self-report questionnaires. We examined cross-sectional associations with correlations and (logistic) regression analyses between sexuality-related attitudes, global self-esteem, sexual knowledge, and resilience to peer pressure with SDV perpetration, SDV victimization and behavioral intentions following sexual rejection. Results indicated that male MID adolescents were romantically and sexually active, and reported unsafe sex, 47.7% experienced SDV perpetration and 33.9% victimization. Positive attitudes towards dating violence were associated with having experienced both SDV perpetration and victimization, and more adherence to heterosexual double standards was related to more negative and fewer positive behavioral intentions upon sexual rejection. Participants who experienced SDV victimization had more sexual knowledge. Self-esteem and resilience to peer pressure were unrelated to SDV. Concluding, male MID adolescents are similarly sexually active to the general population but may need more guidance in the form of timely, tailored prevention and education. We provide concrete suggestions such as focusing on changing attitudes and practicing skills.

IntroductionScientific literature and clinical practice still pay insufficient attention to the interconnectedness between love and sex. Especially youth would benefit in their sexual development from more attention (e.g., in parenting, education, sexual health services) for the complex relational context of sexual decisions and interactions.MethodsTo gain more insight into young people’s dynamically intertwined early experiences with romantic relationships and sexuality, a new semi-structured interview method was developed as part of a larger study on the interrelatedness of love and sex (“Lovely sex or sexy love?”). The newly developed Relational and Sexual History (RSH) interview consists of five steps and is visually supported by a relationship matrix to sketch how developments in relational and sexual aspects of early intimate relationships (from adolescence to young adulthood) are interrelated, and how youth learn cumulatively (across their relationships) about what they do and do not want in their intimate partnerships.ResultsThe RSH interview method was piloted in 2018 in a small-scale qualitative study with N = 16 young adults (9 women, 7 men; 18‒25 years). This pilot study showed the method is suitable to assess the chronologic, dynamic, and intertwined relational and sexual histories of youth in a semi-structured manner.Conclusions and Policy ImplicationsThe RSH interview method may advance scientific research on the linkages between love and sex and can be a valuable tool for clinical practice in sexology and relationship therapy (and increase cross-pollination between these clinical fields). The type of knowledge yielded by these interviews may profoundly impact policies for relational and sexual health promotion for youth.

Sexual and dating violence (SDV) by male youth (≤ 25 years)—including sexual harassment, emotional partner violence, and rape—is a worldwide problem. The goal of this preregistered (PROSPERO, ID: CRD42022281220) systematic review was to map existing SDV prevention programs aimed at male youth, including their characteristics (e.g., content, intensity), intended psychosexual outcomes, and empirically demonstrated effectiveness, guided by the principles of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). We conducted searches in six online databases for published, peer-reviewed quantitative effectiveness studies on multi-session, group focused, and interaction based SDV prevention programs for male youth ending March 2022. After screening of 21,156 hits using PRISMA guidelines, 15 studies on 13 different programs, from four continents were included. Narrative analysis showed, first, broad ranges in program intensity (2–48 h total), and few program curricula included explicit discussion of relevant aspects of the TPB. Second, programs’ main intended psychosexual outcomes were to change SDV experiences, or related attitudes, or norms. Third, significant effects were found mostly on longer term behaviors and short-term attitudes. Other theoretical proxies of SDV experiences, such as social norms and perceived behavioral control, were sparsely investigated; thus, program effectiveness on these outcomes remains largely unknown. Assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, moderate to serious risk of bias arose in all studies. We present concrete suggestions for program content, such as explicit attention to victimization and masculinity and discuss best practices for evaluation research, including assessments of program integrity, and examining relevant theoretical proxies of SDV.