The lived experiences and occupations of intimate partners of individuals with spinal cord injury related to sexual well-being

Abstract

The onset of spinal cord injury (SCI) results in physical and psychological changes which impact participation in occupations related to sexual well-being. Although education and resources are often provided to the injured individual, frequently the intimate partners of individuals with SCI are not included in this training. The purpose of the research for this dissertation was twofold. One purpose was to describe the lived experience of intimate partners of individuals with SCI related to sexuality. The second was to identify education and resource needs related to sexuality for these individuals. It is believed that information gained from this study can be utilized to inform future development of educational resources for this population. A collective case study design was chosen for this project. For the purpose of this project, four participants were selected utilizing purposeful sampling and participated in in-depth interviews relating to the lived experiences and perceived educational needs of the participants.