Sandra Byers

SEXUAL WELL-BEING IN INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

ABSTRACT

The social skills and communication deficits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often create challenges in social relationships and may impact romantic and sexual relationships in particularly. Although healthy sexuality is an important goal for individuals with ASD, until recently researchers have paid relatively little attention to their sexual well-being. In this talk, Dr. Byers will summarize the results of her collaborative program of research examining a broad range of positive and negative aspects of sexual well-being among women and men across the lifespan with high-functioning ASD (HF-ASD) currently in, formerly in, and never in a romantic relationship. This includes: sexual behavior alone and with a partner; online sexual activity; sexual cognitions; sexual affect and satisfaction; and, sexual function. In addition, although recent research has suggested that individuals with ASD may be more diverse in their sexual and gender identities than the neurotypical population, researchers have not fully examined the full range of possible sexual and gender identities. Therefore, Dr. Byers also will present recent findings with respect to sexual and gender diversity among individuals with HF-ASD. In doing so, she will consider factors associated with both sexual well-being and sexual and gender diversity. She will end with implications for enhancing the sexual well-being of individuals with HF-ASD.

BIOGRAPHY

Sandra Byers, Ph.D., L. Psych. (she/he) is Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology at University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and a Research Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She is the author or co-author of more than 200 journal articles and book chapters mostly on aspects of human sexuality as well as of a popular undergraduate textbook on human sexuality. She is a past-president of the International Academy of Sex Research and the Canadian Sex Research Forum, a fellow of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality and the Canadian Psychological Association, and on the editorial boards of a number of scholarly journals. She has won numerous awards for her contributions to research, teaching, leadership, service, and clinical practice in the area of human sexuality including the: Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award for outstanding achievements that have further advanced the elimination of family violence in 2001; Donald O. Hebb Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychology as a Profession from the Canadian Psychological Association in 2010; Kinsey Award for outstanding contributions to the field of sex research, sex therapy, or sexology from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality in 2013; Outstanding Contribution Award from the Canadian Sex Research Forum in 2018; and, most recently, the Masters and Johnson Award from the Society for Sex Research and Therapy in 2020. She is also a Licenced Clinical Psychologist with a part-time private practice primarily aimed at helping people with their sexual concerns.