Evaluation of Sexual Function in Adults with Cerebral Palsy

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate current status of psychosexual function in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) by Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI), which is a widely used multidimensional measure of sexual functioning. METHOD: Forty-two adults with CP and 150 healthy controls participated in this study. All participants were interviewed with DSFI, which consisted of 10 domains such as sexual information, experience, drive, attitude, psychological symptoms, affect, gender role, fantasy, body image and satisfaction. RESULTS: Adults with CP showed significantly lower scores in sexual information, experience and satisfaction, and higher scores in psychological distress symptoms and conservative attitude, compared with controls (p<0.05). Especially, unmarried men with CP had a significant sexual dysfunction in most substantive domains of DSFI (p<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in married men, unmarried women and married women, compared with normal controls. Sexual experience, drive, body image and satisfaction were significantly distressed in non-ambulatory CP, compared with functional ambulators (p<0.05). The score of sexual satisfaction had a significant relationship with those of sexual experience, attitude, psychological symptoms and body image in adults with CP (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Adults with CP showed a distress in psychosexual functioning, especially in unmarried men and non- ambulators. Therefore, active interventions of sexual counseling and education will be helpful for enhancing their sexual function.