Understanding the Multidimensional Nature of Sexuality After Traumatic Brain Injury

To investigate the association of sexuality with sociodemographic (age, sex, education), medical (injury severity, time since injury), physical (fatigue, pain, independence), neuropsychological (memory, attention, executive function), psychological (depression, anxiety, self-esteem), and social participation factors after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Survey. Individuals with TBI completed measures at a mean average of 2.78 years post injury (range, 1-10.3y).

All participants were community based at the time of data collection.

Eighty-four individuals with TBI consecutively recruited after discharge from rehabilitation and 88 age-, sex-, and education-matched controls with TBI recruited from the general community.

Not applicable.

Brain Injury Questionnaire of Sexuality.

Individuals with TBI performed significantly worse on sexuality, mood, and self-esteem measures than the control group without TBI, supporting previous findings. Research findings highlighted a range of significant correlations between sociodemographic, physical, neuropsychological, psychological, and social participation factors and sexuality outcomes after TBI. In the multiple regression model, older age, greater depression, and lower self-esteem were significant predictors of poorer sexuality post injury. Further analyses indicated that depression mediated the independent relationships between lower social participation and greater fatigue with a decline in sexuality after TBI.

These findings support sexuality changes after TBI as a multidimensional construct, highlighting depression as a key mechanism through which other factors may affect sexual functioning. Further research is needed to target assessment and intervention services for sexuality problems after TBI.