Abstract
Capability to consent to sexual contact was determined by an interdisciplinary team for thirty-one individuals residing on a unit serving dually diagnosed individuals (mental retardation and a psychiatric disorder). Capability status was strongly related to sexual knowledge, level of mental retardation, social adaptive age, participation in a sex education course, psychiatric diagnosis and other capabilities to consent. The sexual knowledge demonstrated by capable individuals is described. The multi-stage evaluation procedure and problematic issues are discussed in terms of legal implications, the situational nature of capability status, and the need for a data base to facilitate capability determinations.
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Niederbuhl, J.M., Morris, C.D. Sexual knowledge and the capability of persons with dual diagnoses to consent to sexual contact. Sex Disabil 11, 295–307 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01102174