Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sexuality and Quality of Life Among People with Physical Disability

  • Published:
Sexuality and Disability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the association between the sexuality and quality of life of people with congenital physical disability. Sixty people with congenital physical disability (33 males, 27 females, mean age = 28.64 years) who were living in the community participated in the study. Each respondent completed the Sexual Knowledge, Experience and Needs Scale which assesses levels of knowledge, experience, feelings and needs in 12 different areas of sexuality. Respondents also completed the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale which assesses both subjective and objective dimensions of quality of life in seven broad domains. Surprisingly, there were few associations between sexuality and the quality of life domains. The strongest associations were between sexual intimacy and importance of quality of life. The implication of these findings for the lives of people with physical disabilities are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Andrews, F. M., & Withey, S. B. (1976). Social indicators of well-being: Americans' perceptions of life quality. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1994). The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale (4th Ed.). Melbourne: School of Psychology, Deakin University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (1999). Normative life satisfaction: measurement issues and a homeostatic model. In: B. Fumbo (Ed.). Methodological developments and issues in quality of life research. Amsterdam: Kluwar (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummins, R. A. (2000). Objective and subjective quality of life: An interactive model. Social Indicators Research (in press).

  • Cummins, R A., McCabe, M. P., Romeo, Y., & Gullone, E. (1994). The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale: Instrument development and psychometric evaluation on tertiary staff and students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 372–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giami, A. (1987). Coping with the sexuality of the disabled: A comparison of the physically disabled and the mentally retarded. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 10, 41–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gove, W. R., Hughes, M., & Style, C. B. (1983). Does marriage have positive effects on the psychological well-being of the individual? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 122–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P. (1998). Sexual knowledge, experience, feelings and needs scale—parallel versions for the general population, people with intellectual disability, physical disability and carestaff. In C.M. David, W.L. Yarber, S.L. Davis (Eds.), Sexuality related measures: A compendium, Volume II. California: Sage Publishing (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., Cummins, R. A., & Romeo, Y. (1996). Relationship status, relationship quality, and health. Journal of Family Studies, 2, 109–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., & Cummins, R. A. (1996). The sexual knowledge, experience, feelings and needs of people with mild intellectual disability. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 31, 13–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, M. P., Cummins, R. A., & Reid, S. B. (1994). An empirical study of the sexual abuse of people with intellectual disability. Journal of Sexuality and Disability, 12, 297–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nosek, M. A., Fuhrer, M. J., & Potter, C. (1995). Life satisfaction of people with physical disabilities: Relationship to personal assistance, disability status, and handicap. Rehabilitation Psychology, 40, 191–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nosek, M. A., Howland, C. A., Young, M. E., Georgiou, D., Rintala, D. H., Foley, C. C., Bennett, J. L., & Smith, Q. (1994). Wellness models and sexuality among women with physical disabilities. Journal of Applied Counseling, 25, 50–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramund, B., & Stensman, R. (1988). Quality of life and evaluation of functions among people with severely impaired mobility and non-disabled controls. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 29, 137–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandowski, C. (1993). Responding to the sexual concerns of people with disabilities. Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality, 8, 29–43.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Australia, 3125

    Marita P. McCabe

  2. School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia

    Robert A. Cummins & Amada A. Deeks

Authors
  1. Marita P. McCabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert A. Cummins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Amada A. Deeks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McCabe, M.P., Cummins, R.A. & Deeks, A.A. Sexuality and Quality of Life Among People with Physical Disability. Sexuality and Disability 18, 115–123 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005562813603

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005562813603

Search

Navigation