The role of imagery in sexual arousal disturbances in the male traumatically brain injured individual

Over 50% of individuals who suffer traumatic brain injury (TBI) demonstrate a decrease in sexual arousal posl-injury. This study investigated the basi s of this loss and hypothesized that it occurred as a consequence of the ef fect of the injury on cognition: specifically, diminution of the ability to form and manipulate sexually arousing imagery. The study compared 14 male participants who identified themselves as having alteration in sexual funct ioning following traumatic brain injury with a further 14 non-brain injured participants, case matched to them for age and education. All TBI particip ants were assessed after 2 years following injury, and had had a loss of co nsciousness of 3 days or greater. The results indicated that the two groups differed in terms of their performance on the Bett's QMI Scale, the Gordon Test of Visual Imagery Control, the Vividness of Sexual Imagery Scale of t he Imaginal Processes Inventory, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory. After correction for the level of depression by analysis of covariance, the TBI participants still featured lower levels o f performance on the Sexual Imagery sub-scale of the Imaginary Processes In ventory. The results indicate that sexual arousal disturbances may exist ab ove and beyond the disturbances to affect associated with the psychosocial effects of the TBI.