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Abstract(s)
The primary goal of this study was to shed light on the sexual behaviors and sexual perceptions of people with physical disabilities living in Portugal. As a result, we adopted
a mixed methods study, which utilized a descriptive approach to describe participants’
sexual behaviors and a qualitative approach to assess their sexual perceptions. This study
surveyed 36 people (mean age=40.25 years, SD=10.45), of whom 58.3% (n=21) were
male, almost 70% (n=25) were single, and the vast majority self-identified as heterosexual. 58.3% (n=21) of participants did not report partaking in any sexual interactions over
the previous 6 months, and 27.8% (n=10) of study participants claimed to have never had
sex. Among those who had engaged in sexual activity during the previous six months, kissing, touching, and caressing (38.9%, n=6), receiving erogenous zone stimulation (33.3%,
n=5) and performing oral sex (33.3%, n=5) were the most frequently reported activities. Among sexually active participants who reported not having had sex in the previous
6 months (58.3%, n=21), only 2 (9.5%) mentioned that they did not have sex because of
personal attributes, such as not feeling attractive. The remaining 19 (90.5%) systematically
reported a lack of opportunity or a lack of a partner to justify not engaging in any sexual
activity. Results from the content analysis of 36 participants’ responses revealed the following 9 recurring themes regarding sexual perceptions: the definitions of human sexuality, the positive and negative impact of sexuality on emotional well-being, sexual problems, obstacles to sexual expression, sexual expectations, positive coping/resilience and
interactions with society. Finally, it is important to highlight this study’s contributions to the demands of people with physical disabilities in Portugal to be seen as sexual citizens.
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Keywords
Sexual behaviors Sexual perceptions Physical disabilities Portugal