Sexuality Education and Counselling for Individuals with a Spinal Cord Injury: Implications for Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Sexuality is an integral component of human behaviour, being the expression of an individual's personality and identity. Consequently, sexuality education and counselling, as part of the rehabilitation process for individuals with a physical disability, are considered important. Although the role of occupational therapists in facilitating sexuality as a life skill Is recognised, their participation in this component of rehabilitation is low, reportedly as a result of perceived inadequate knowledge. This paper focuses on spinal cord injury as an example of a physical disability. To highlight the need to address sexual concerns, the physiological and psychological aspects of individuals' altered sexual status after spinal cord injury are briefly described. The limitations in the sexuality education and counselling programmes provided to date are explored, with recommendations made as to how such intervention can be improved and the role that occupational therapists may play in this service provision. The P-LI-SS-IT model is presented as an appropriate framework from which to develop and deliver an effective sexuality education and counselling programme for individuals with a spinal cord injury. It is concluded that occupational therapists, as part of a multidisciplinary team, should adopt an active role in the delivery of sexuality education and counselling programmes for individuals with a physical disability.