According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, intimacy is a “state of being intimate or familiar” and “something of a personal or private nature”. To be intimate, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means to be “marked by a warm friendship developing through long association”, suggests “informal warmth or privacy”, or “being engaged in, involving, or marked by sex or sexual relations” between consenting adults. People with disabilities have the right to be intimate relationships with their friends, siblings, lovers, and spouses, among others. However, they may face barriers in finding and nurturing intimacy – from social and attitudinal barriers to physical and communication barriers. People with disabilities do find intimacy in their relationships. Easter Seals shares stories and advice from people with disabilities related to intimacy. These stories cover intimacy-related topics such as dating, love and marriage, siblings, friendships, parents and children, and more.

Research has examined many facets of intimacy among people with disabilities and their relationships, both familiar and romantic. This research includes the NIDILRR-funded project iManage Sexual Wellness: Development of a Symptom-monitoring/Self-Management Program to Enhance Sexual Wellness After Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which develops new assessment item banks to measure sexual functioning in people with SCI and TBI. The NIDILRR-funded Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) shares factsheets, modules, and other resources on intimacy for people with TBI, SCI, and burn injuries. NARIC’s collection includes over 160 documents on intimacy and people with disabilities from the NIDILRR community and elsewhere, including the international research community. NARIC’s Research In Focus series includes reader-friendly summaries of NIDILRR-funded research on this topic, including:

• New Findings May Offer Insight for Interventions to Strengthen Long-Term Marriage Stability for People with Traumatic Brain Injury.
• A Brief Couples Therapy Program May Provide Needed Supports for Partners of People with Brain Injuries.
• A Helpful Bug In Your Ear: Covert Audio Coaching Shows Promise to Help Young Adults with ASD to Navigate Peer Conversations.

Contact NARIC’s information specialists to learn more about intimacy and people with disabilities.