Sexual attitude reassessment workshops: effect on spinal cord injured adults, their partners and rehabilitation professionals.

Five workshops, focused on the sexuality of adults with acquired spinal cord injuries, were offered for rehabilitation professionals and spinal cord injures adults between December 1971 and October 1972 by the University of Minnesota's Program in Human Sexuality and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The fifth workshop was jointly sponsored with the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) and included an optional third day on sexual counseling. The objectives of the workshops were to assist the professional to be more helpful with others and the disabled to be more helpful to themselves. These objectives were accomplished by demythologizing sexual behavior, desensationalizing sexual stimuli and aiding the disabled person and professional to come to an understanding and acceptance of the sexuality of themselves as well as others. Preworkshop, immediately postworkshop and follow-up questionnaires evaluated the effects of the seminars upon all participants: disabled, able-bodied, professional and nonprofessional. Of the 76 who returned anonymous questionnaires mailed to the 95 spinal cord injured adults and their partners, 96.0 per cent reported that they were gland they attended, 82.8 per cent stated that they were personally benefited and 90.8 per cent reported that they would recommend the program to others like themselves. Of the 168 signed evaluations, 119 were returned by the professional group. Of 112 indicating that they or their institutions were currently involved in providing sexual counseling and education to the physically disabled, 97.3 per cent reported that the University of Minnesota workshop had given ideas, impetus or form to the current effort. Sexual attitudes and attitude changes in the AAPM&R-sponsered workshop were similar to those measured in participants in other workshops involving medical and seminary students and community members. Further workshops have been planned based upon these results.