Dating issues for women with physical disabilities

Abstract

A study of dating issues for 250 single women with physical disabilities and 180 single women without disabilities was undertaken to determine (a) differences between women with and without disabilities and (b) predictors of dating outcomes for women with disabilities. A survey was sent to a national sample of women with disabilities along with a similar survey to give to a female friend without a disability. Dating outcomes included (a) satisfaction with dating frequency, (b) perceived constraints on attracting partners, (c) perceived personal barriers to dating, (d) perceived societal barriers to dating, and (e) perceived communication problems. Women with disabilities were disadvantaged on all but (e). Between 21% and 47% of the variance in the outcomes was accounted for in multiple regression analyses. Potential interventions suggested by the findings are discussed.