title: Staff attitudes towards sexual relationships among institutionalized people with dementia: does an extreme cautionary stance predominate?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study explores whether staff perceptions and reactions to sexual situations involving one or two persons with dementia (PWD) reflect an extreme cautionary stance (an overprotective and paternalist style) or a person-centered model of care (focusing on understanding the residents' perspective and their rights).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three staff members currently working in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) were purposively selected to participate in the study. Two vignettes describing sexual situations involving PWD were presented to participants. They were asked about their interpretation of the situation and how they would react. Data were analyzed using content analysis, aimed at identifying common themes in the responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the sexual relationship involved a PWD and a cognitively intact resident, participants tended to define the situation as real (54.7%) or possible (35.8%) abuse, whereas when both parties had dementia it was more frequently conceptualized as a possibly abusive (39.6%) or non-abusive (37.7%) situation. The most frequent reaction to both situations was seeking the advice of other professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The interpretation of the first situation is compatible with an extreme cautionary stance, whereas the second scenario is less clearly perceived as an example of abuse.
authors: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Feliciano
authors: F
authors: Villar
authors: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Celdrán
authors: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Josep
authors: J
authors: Fabà
authors: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Rodrigo
authors: R
authors: Serrat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D008875:Middle Aged; D026706:Paternalism; D028701:Patient Rights; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology