SEXUAL ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOR AND SATISFACTION FOR ABLE-BODIED AND DISABLED PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING WORKSHOPS IN HUMAN SEXUALITY

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (11) , 497-501
Abstract
Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) Workshops were conducted for persons with physical handicaps, health care professionals and interested members of the community. Although reassessment of personal sexual attitudes was the primary objective of the workshops, several closely related objectives emerged: evaluation of the impact of the experience on changing both sexual attitudes and behaviors; evaluation of the sexual satisfaction and problem areas of participants with particular reference to persons with physical disabilities and provision of an institute-wide catalyst for initiating programs and services based on newly identified unmet needs. Of the 650 participants, 15% were disabled and of this group approximately 75% had spinal cord injury. Comparison of pre and post-workshop responses to sexual attitude scales showed similar and significant changes on 4 of 9 scales for both the able-bodied and disabled groups. The disabled participants were less active than the able-bodied participants although both groups reported similar percentages of satisfaction with their current level of sexual activity. Lack of partners was cited most frequently by both groups as the major reason for dissatisfaction with current sexual status. Sexual counseling and areas of further research were discussed.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: