Article

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association of team sports practice and physical and
psychological factors with sexual adjustment in men with paraplegia. More
specifically, we aimed to compare athletes and non-athletes regarding sexual
adjustment, resilience, body and sexual self-esteem, and functional independence.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with a paired design. The study
included 60 men with paraplegia (30 athletes and 30 non-athletes). METHODS: We
used a sociodemographic questionnaire (age, education, and time since injury); a
physical and sexual esteem questionnaire; a resilience questionnaire; and
Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The dependent variable, sexual adjustment,
was determined by the sum of 5 questions about sexual frequency, desire, and
satisfaction and physical and psychological adjustment.
Data were analysed by
using the chi2 test, Wilcoxon's test, Spearman's correlation test, and
hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis, with p < 0.05. RESULTS: The
mean age of the participants was 34.8 years (standard deviation (SD) 8.5).
Athletes had significantly higher sexual adjustment (p = 0.001) and higher body
and sexual esteem (p < 0.007) and functional independence (p = 0.019). Variables
associated with better sexual adjustment in the final model were sports practice,
higher body and sexual esteem, higher educational level, and higher resilience
levels (R2 = 58%). There was an interaction between sports practice and body and
sexual esteem (p = 0.024;
R2 = 62%). CONCLUSION: Participation in sports
influenced the sexual adjustment of the men with paraplegia, even when controlled
for psychological (resilience and body and sexual esteem) and physical (functional independence) aspects.

Langue : ANGLAIS