PSYCHOSOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF WOMEN WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITY

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This project addresses a current gap in disability-related research. Little has been done to examine the psychosocial influence that physical disability has on the development of intimate relationships and the abilities of women with physical disabilities to pursue behaviors typically taken for granted by women without disabilities, including dating, physical intimacy, marriage, and parenting. As such, the specific aims of this project are to: (1) develop, test, and refine an instrument for describing the sexual functioning of women with physical disabilities; (2) characterize the sociosexual behaviors of women with physical disabilities as compared to women without disabilities; (3) identify disability, environmental. psychological, and social factors which influence the sociosexual behaviors of women with physical disabilities and examine the relationships among them: (4) employ the research findings in developing and/or modifying counseling and educational programs for women with physical disabilities and rehabilitation professionals; and (5) disseminate, using a variety of methods, the research results and their application in clinical and educational settings. The research design features a qualitative study, the development of an instrument to measure sexual functioning in women with physical disabilities, the pilot testing and refinement of that instrument, and a large-scale national study of sexual functioning, psychological factors, social factors, environmental factors, and disability using a sample of 600 women with disabilities and an equal-sized matched control group. Three hypotheses will be tested through this research: (1) there are significant differences in sociosexual behaviors of women with physical disabilities as compared to women without disabilities; (2) the sexual functioning of women with disabilities is significantly related to age at onset of disability; and (3) psychological factors (including perceived control, psychological self-sufficiency, self-concept, depression, and prior sexual exploitation) explain more of the variance in the sexual functioning of women with physical disabilities than do disability factors, social factors, or environmental factors. This study draws upon a highly qualified research development and review team and a national advisory committee to produce research results that will be verified through application in counseling and educational programs.