Differences in Sexual Behavior of Teenagers and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy: The Role of Sexual Needs and Sexual Esteem

Sexuality is an inherent attribute of all human beings regardless of their race, religion and the level of physical fitness. The way it is perceived and manifested is determined by a number of biopsychosocial factors. In some people, including persons with cerebral palsy, the factors and their influence are rooted in the psychophysical condition of the human body. The aim of this study was to answer the question about how the levels of sexual esteem and sexual needs differentiate the sexual behaviors of young people with cerebral palsy. The study being presented was conducted with 62 young persons with cerebral palsy (half women and half men), who were selected using purposive sampling. They were aged 15-25 years and were individuals without cognitive difficulties. The research tool used was the Cerebral Palsy Individual's Sexual Behavior Questionnaire developed by the authors. The findings of the study showed that half of the participants engaged in various sexual behaviors from the list that was presented to them. The frequencies of these engagements depended on the levels of their sexual esteem and sexual needs. Persons characterized by high levels of sexual esteem and sexual needs (much fewer than those with the low levels of both characteristics) engaged in sexual behaviors significantly more frequently. The most frequent among them was direct engagement in sexual activity (petting and sexual intercourse; p ≤ .001) and then exposure to sexually explicit magazines or films (p ≤ .05).