Attitudes Toward Sexual Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities: Recreational Therapists' and Students' Perspectives

Abstract

Sexual wellness, an important component of overall quality of life, is often ignored or omitted from the scope of recreational therapy practices, mostly due to attitudes, beliefs, and lack of formalized training and education. No prior research exists on the attitudes of recreational therapists (RT) and students toward incorporating sexual wellness into practice for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the current attitudes of practicing recreational therapists, as well as the attitudes of current students on sexual wellness within the scope of recreational therapy practices. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with a purposive sample of 112 RT practitioners and students. Results indicated that both RT students and practitioners believe that sexual wellness is an important component of rehabilitation and should be included in undergraduate and graduate education. Implications for practice and research are presented.