Professionals' Attitudes toward the Sterilization of People with Disabilities

Abstract

Semistructured interviews were used to explore the attitudes of legal, medical, social welfare, developmental disabilities agency, and educational professionals toward the sterilization of people with disabilities. It was found that opinions about sterilization were integrally related to attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, as well as toward their parenting skills and general sexuality. Most professionals had been involved in some capacity with sterilization cases of people with disabilities and were concerned about present practices, although there was little consensus about how sterilization should be handled.