Evaluation of the Marital Adjustment and Sexual Functions in Individuals with Visual Disability

Abstract

Background: Sexuality is an important component of marriage. Individuals with visual disability tend to experience more sexual problems, which could deteriorate their marriage relationships and cause difficulties in establishing and maintaining sexual relationships. Aims: This study aims to evaluate marital adjustment and sexual functions in individuals with visual disability. Subjects and Methods: The sample of this descriptive study consisted of 95 individuals with visual disability who were members of a relevant private association in Turkey and met the inclusion criteria. The sample size was calculated using the sample with a known population approach. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic Form, the Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS), and the Golombok-Rust inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Dunn's test, and the Spearman's Rho Correlation Analysis. Results: The mean scores for the MAS and the GRISS were 48.0 (23-60) and 51.5 (17-72), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of individuals with visual disability and their spouses in the MAS by their age (P < 0.05). The subscales of the GRISS (except for frequency and communication) indicated that men with visual disability had problems regarding impotence, premature ejaculation, sensuality, avoidance, and satisfaction subscales. There was a statistically significant and negative relationship between the marital adjustment total scores of the males with visual disability and their scores in the avoidance, satisfaction, frequency, and communication subscales (P < 0.05; P < 0.01). Conclusion: The participants were found to have good marital adjustment. However, males with visual disability had a low level of sexual problems.