Looking Beyond the Chair: Psycho-Perceptual Predictors of Sexual Distress and Sexual Satisfaction in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

ABSTRACT

Despite a large body of biomedical research, little is known about the psychological and perceptual predictors of sexual satisfaction (SS) and sexual distress (SD) post spinal cord injury (SCI). Guided by a bio-psycho-perceptual framework, this cross-sectional research aimed at assessing SS and SD in a large SCI sample using validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). Significant correlates and predictors of SS and SD were also identified. Ninety-one men and women with SCI completed PROMs of SS and SD, as well as psychological (mood, sexual and body esteem) and perceptual (interoceptive awareness, trait mindfulness, sexual mindfulness) factors. Neurological profiles were also assessed, along with experience of orgasm. Correlates of SS and SD were first identified using Pearson’s correlations, then multiple hierarchical regression models were computed to isolate predictors. Orgasm experience and psychological factors emerged as moderate correlates of both SS and SD, while neurological factors did not. Interoceptive awareness and trait mindfulness showed weak associations with SD and none with SS. Among the tested predictors, experience of orgasm emerged as the strongest for SS (β = -.29, p < .01), followed by mood, which predicted SS and SD. Sexual and body esteem was predictive of SD only. In sexually active participants, sexual mindfulness predicted both SS (β = 0.55, p < .001) and SD (β = -0.56, p < .001) above and beyond all other variables. This study reveals unique aspects of SS and SD postinjury and supports further consideration of psychological and perceptual dimensions of SCI sexuality in rehabilitation research.

Acknowledgement

This research was facilitated by the multidisciplinary teams of the Gingras-Lindsay Rehabilitation Institute in Montreal (IRGLM) as well as the Henry Gabrielle Hospital staff in Lyon, France. The authors express their gratitude to all recruitment sites and participants involved. Finally, the first author would like to thank all reviewers as well as the editor assigned to this article for their insightful comments – this work is part of her doctoral dissertation, and she is grateful for the precious feedback received ahead of her defense. The reviewers’ suggestions have greatly contributed to the refinement of this manuscript as well as the global presentation of her doctoral works.

Disclosure statement

The authors express their gratitude to all recruitment sites as well as the research participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé [253342].