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A Manual To Support The Development Of Romantic Relationships And Sexuality For Adolescents And Young Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury, Libby Herriot, Lauren Rollins

School of Occupational Therapy Master's Theses (2010-2015)

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect an estimated 1.4 million individuals in the United States annually (Braden et al., 2010), most often affecting those between the ages of 15-19 years (Kerr, Harmon, Marshall, Proescholdbell, & Waller, 2014). Individuals with TBI experience impaired judgment, impulsivity, and a decrease in emotional regulation, which may result in verbal and nonverbal behaviors that negatively impact the development of sexuality and the formation of romantic relationships (Kay & Lezak, 1990). Additionally, people who sustain TBIs as children or adolescents are also faced with challenges of typically developing teens (e.g., impulsivity and undeveloped executive functioning skills), further …