Causal Attributions of Low Sexual Desire in Women Partnered with Men.
Attributions
DSM-5
Sexual desire
Sexual orientation
Women
Journal
Archives of sexual behavior
ISSN: 1573-2800
Titre abrégé: Arch Sex Behav
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 1273516
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
19 Aug 2024
19 Aug 2024
Historique:
received:
08
12
2023
accepted:
15
07
2024
revised:
22
05
2024
medline:
20
8
2024
pubmed:
20
8
2024
entrez:
19
8
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Low sexual desire in women partnered with men has been the subject of controversy and research over the past decades, including both as construct and diagnosis. Despite discussion surrounding the causes of low desire, there is a gap in research about how women themselves understand the causes of their low desire and the potential consequences of these causal attributions. In the current study, we investigated this by asking 130 women who had low desire and were partnered with men about their attributions for low desire. Through content analysis, we identified five attribution categories: psychological/individual, relational, biological, sociocultural, and/or sexual orientation/identity/status. Many participants chose more than one category, indicating a multifaceted nature of women's causes of low desire. We then quantitatively assessed women's feelings of responsibility for, and emotions surrounding, their low desire. Our findings indicate that the majority-but not all-of women have negative feelings about their low desire. However, the specific emotions they experience are related to their attribution patterns. This underscores the significance of investigating various facets of women's attributions regarding low desire in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their emotional experiences and desire overall.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39160411
doi: 10.1007/s10508-024-02963-w
pii: 10.1007/s10508-024-02963-w
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : Canada Research Chairs
ID : 150
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Références
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
doi: 10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Atlantis, E., & Sullivan, T. (2012). Bidirectional association between depression and sexual dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 9(6), 1497–1507. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02709.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02709.x
pubmed: 22462756
Avery, L. R., Stanton, A. G., Ward, L. M., Cole, E. R., Trinh, S. L., & Jerald, M. C. (2021). “Pretty hurts”: Acceptance of hegemonic feminine beauty ideals and reduced sexual well-being among Black women. Body Image, 38, 181–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.04.004
doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.04.004
pubmed: 33933996
Basson, R. (2001). Human sex-response cycles. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 27(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926230152035831
doi: 10.1080/00926230152035831
Basson, R. (2002). A model of women’s sexual arousal. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 28(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/009262302317250963
doi: 10.1080/009262302317250963
Birnbaum, G. E., Reis, H. T., Mizrahi, M., Kanat-Maymon, Y., Sass, O., & Granovski-Milner, C. (2016). Intimately connected: The importance of partner responsiveness for experiencing sexual desire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 111(4), 530–546. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000069
doi: 10.1037/pspi0000069
pubmed: 27399250
Bloor, M., & Wood, F. (2006). Keywords in qualitative methods: A vocabulary of research concepts. Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209403
doi: 10.4135/9781849209403
Boozalis, A., Tutlam, N. T., Chrisman Robbins, C., & Peipert, J. F. (2016). Sexual desire and hormonal contraception. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 127(3), 563–572. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000001286
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001286
pubmed: 26855094
Both, S., Everaerd, E., & Laan, E. (2007). Desire emerges from excitement: A psychophysiological perspective on sexual motivation. In E. Janssen (Ed.), The psychophysiology of sex (pp. 327–339). Indiana University Press.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
doi: 10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
Brotto, L. A. (2017). Evidence-based treatments for low sexual desire in women. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 45, 11–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.02.001
doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.02.001
pubmed: 28237271
Brotto, L. A., & Basson, R. (2014). Group mindfulness-based therapy significantly improves sexual desire in women. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 57, 43–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.04.001
doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2014.04.001
pubmed: 24814472
Cascio, M. A., Lee, E., Vaudrin, N., & Freedman, D. A. (2019). A team-based approach to open coding: Considerations for creating intercoder consensus. Field Methods, 31(2), 116–130. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X19838237
doi: 10.1177/1525822X19838237
Chadwick, S. B., Burke, S. M., Goldey, K. L., Bell, S. N., & van Anders, S. M. (2017). Sexual desire in sexual minority and majority women and men: The Multifaceted Sexual Desire Questionnaire. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(8), 2465–2484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-016-0895-z
doi: 10.1007/s10508-016-0895-z
pubmed: 28070802
Chadwick, S. B., Grower, P., & van Anders, S. M. (2022). Coercive sexual experiences that include orgasm predict negative psychological, relationship, and sexual outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 37(23–24), NP22199–NP22225. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211073109
doi: 10.1177/08862605211073109
pubmed: 35170332
Cole, E. R. (2009). Intersectionality and research in psychology. American Psychologist, 64(3), 170–180. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014564
doi: 10.1037/a0014564
pubmed: 19348518
Collins, P. H., & Bilge, S. (2020). Intersectionality (2nd ed.). Polity.
Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241–1299. https://doi.org/10.2307/1229039
doi: 10.2307/1229039
Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 24(4), 349–354. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0047358
doi: 10.1037/h0047358
pubmed: 13813058
de Oliveira, L., & Carvalho, J. (2021). Women’s sexual health during the pandemic of COVID-19: Declines in sexual function and sexual pleasure. Current Sexual Health Reports, 13(3), 76–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-021-00309-4
doi: 10.1007/s11930-021-00309-4
pubmed: 34248426
pmcid: 8254666
De Rose, A. F., Chierigo, F., Ambrosini, F., Mantica, G., Borghesi, M., Suardi, N., & Terrone, C. (2021). Sexuality during COVID lockdown: A cross-sectional Italian study among hospital workers and their relatives. International Journal of Impotence Research, 33(1), 131–136. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00393-5
doi: 10.1038/s41443-020-00393-5
pubmed: 33402720
pmcid: 7782561
DeRogatis, L. R., Allgood, A., Rosen, R. C., Leiblum, S., Zipfel, L., & Guo, C. Y. (2008). Development and evaluation of the Women’s Sexual Interest Diagnostic Interview (WSID): A structured interview to diagnose hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in standardized patients. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 5(12), 2827–2841. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01008.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.01008.x
pubmed: 18823321
Dhanuka, I., & Simon, J. A. (2015). Flibanserin for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 16(16), 2523–2529. https://doi.org/10.1517/14656566.2015.1090426
doi: 10.1517/14656566.2015.1090426
pubmed: 26395164
Dworkin, S. L. (2012). Sample size policy for qualitative studies using in-depth interviews. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(6), 1319–1320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-0016-6
doi: 10.1007/s10508-012-0016-6
pubmed: 22968493
Elliott, S., & Umberson, D. (2008). The performance of desire: Gender and sexual negotiation in long-term marriages. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70(2), 391–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00489.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2008.00489.x
pubmed: 21833150
Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x
pubmed: 18352969
English, C., Muhleisen, A., & Rey, J. A. (2017). Flibanserin (Addyi). Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 42(4), 237–241.
pubmed: 28381915
pmcid: 5358680
Ferreira, L. C., Narciso, I., Novo, R. F., & Pereira, C. R. (2014). Predicting couple satisfaction: The role of differentiation of self, sexual desire and intimacy in heterosexual individuals. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 29(4), 390–404. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2014.957498
doi: 10.1080/14681994.2014.957498
Gehring, D. (2003). Couple therapy for low sexual desire: A systemic approach. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 29(1), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/713847099
doi: 10.1080/713847099
Gökyildiz, Ş, & Beji, N. K. (2005). The effects of pregnancy on sexual life. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 31(3), 201–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926230590513410
doi: 10.1080/00926230590513410
Hamilton, L. D., & Meston, C. M. (2013). Chronic stress and sexual function in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10(10), 2443–2454. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsm.12249
doi: 10.1111/jsm.12249
pubmed: 23841462
Harding, S. (1993). Rethinking standpoint epistemology: What is “strong objectivity?” In L. Alcoff & E. Potter (Eds.), Feminist epistemologies (pp. 49–82). Routledge.
Harris, E. A., Gormezano, A. M., & van Anders, S. M. (2022). Gender inequities in household labor predict lower sexual desire in women partnered with men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51, 3847–3870. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02397-2
doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02397-2
pubmed: 36112330
pmcid: 9483460
Harvey, D. (2005). A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199283262.001.0001
doi: 10.1093/oso/9780199283262.001.0001
Hendrickx, L., Gijs, L., Janssen, E., & Enzlin, P. (2016). Predictors of sexual distress in women with desire and arousal difficulties: Distinguishing between personal, partner, and interpersonal distress. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 13(11), 1662–1675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.09.016
doi: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2016.09.016
pubmed: 27770855
Hochschild, A. (1989). The second shift: Working parents and the revolution at home. Viking.
Intemann, K. (2010). 25 years of feminist empiricism and standpoint theory: Where are we now? Hypatia, 25(4), 778–796. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.2010.01138.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1527-2001.2010.01138.x
Jaspers, L., Feys, F., Bramer, W. M., Franco, O. H., Leusink, P., & Laan, E. T. (2016). Efficacy and safety of Flibanserin for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(4), 453–462. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.8565
doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.8565
pubmed: 26927498
Jerald, M. C., Ward, L. M., Moss, L., Thomas, K., & Fletcher, K. D. (2017). Subordinates, sex objects, or sapphires? Investigating contributions of media use to Black students’ femininity ideologies and stereotypes about Black women. Journal of Black Psychology, 43(6), 608–635. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798416665967
doi: 10.1177/0095798416665967
Kaviani, M., Rahnavard, T., Azima, S., Emamghoreishi, M., Asadi, N., & Sayadi, M. (2014). The effect of education on sexual health of women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery, 2(2), 94–102.
pubmed: 25349850
pmcid: 4201195
Kelley, H. H. (1967). Attribution theory in social psychology. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 15, 192–238.
Kennedy, S. H., & Rizvi, S. (2009). Sexual dysfunction, depression, and the impact of antidepressants. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 29(2), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0b013e31819c76e9
doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e31819c76e9
pubmed: 19512977
Kinderman, P., & Bentall, R. P. (1996). A new measure of causal locus: The Internal, Personal and Situational Attributions Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 20(2), 261–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(95)00186-7
doi: 10.1016/0191-8869(95)00186-7
Kizilay, F., Gali, H. E., & Serefoglu, E. C. (2017). Diabetes and Sexuality. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 5(1), 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2016.07.002
doi: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2016.07.002
pubmed: 27544297
Masters, W. H., & Johnson, V. E. (1966). Human sexual response. Little, Brown.
Metz, M. E., & Epstein, N. (2002). Assessing the role of relationship conflict in sexual dysfunction. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 28(2), 139–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926230252851889
doi: 10.1080/00926230252851889
Moor, A., Haimov, Y., & Shreiber, S. (2021). When desire fades: Women talk about their subjective experience of declining sexual desire in loving long-term relationships. Journal of Sex Research, 58(2), 160–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2020.1743225
doi: 10.1080/00224499.2020.1743225
pubmed: 32286897
Murray, S. H., & Milhausen, R. R. (2012). Sexual desire and relationship duration in young men and women. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 38(1), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2011.569637
doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2011.569637
Pujols, Y., Meston, C. M., & Seal, B. N. (2010). The association between sexual satisfaction and body image in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7((2, Part 2)), 905–916. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01604.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01604.x
pubmed: 19968771
Rosen, R. C., Shifren, J. L., Monz, B. U., Odom, D. M., Russo, P. A., & Johannes, C. B. (2009). Correlates of sexually related personal distress in women with low sexual desire. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6(6), 1549–1560. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01252.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01252.x
pubmed: 19473457
Rosenkrantz, D. E., & Mark, K. P. (2018). The sociocultural context of sexually diverse women’s sexual desire. Sexuality & Culture, 22(1), 220–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-017-9462-6
doi: 10.1007/s12119-017-9462-6
Sims, K. E., & Meana, M. (2010). Why did passion wane? A qualitative study of married women’s attributions for declines in sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 36(4), 360–380. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2010.498727
doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2010.498727
Smith, J. A., & Osborn, M. (2015). Interpretative phenomenological analysis as a useful methodology for research on the lived experience of pain. British Journal of Pain, 9(1), 41–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/2049463714541642
doi: 10.1177/2049463714541642
pubmed: 26516556
pmcid: 4616994
Spector, I. P., Carey, M. P., & Steinberg, L. (1996). The Sexual Desire Inventory: Development, factor structure, and evidence of reliability. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 22(3), 175–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926239608414655
doi: 10.1080/00926239608414655
pubmed: 8880651
Spurgas, A. K. (2014). Circuits of desire: Science, therapy, trauma, femininity [Unpublished doctoral dissertation, City University of New York]. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/387
Sutherland, S. E., Rehman, U. S., & Goodnight, J. A. (2020). A typology of women with low sexual desire. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 2893–2905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01805-9
doi: 10.1007/s10508-020-01805-9
pubmed: 32895873
Talmadge, L. D., & Talmadge, W. C. (1986). Relational sexuality: An understanding of low sexual desire. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 12(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00926238608415390
doi: 10.1080/00926238608415390
Tiefer, L. (1995). Sex is not a natural act and other essays. Westview Press.
Tiefer, L. (2001). A new view of women’s sexual problems: Why new? Why now? Journal of Sex Research, 38(2), 89–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490109552075
doi: 10.1080/00224490109552075
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12048
doi: 10.1111/nhs.12048
van Anders, S. M. (2013). Beyond masculinity: Testosterone, gender/sex, and human social behavior in a comparative context. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 34(3), 198–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2013.07.001
doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2013.07.001
pubmed: 23867694
van Anders, S. M. (2014). Bio/logics. Transgender Studies Quarterly, 1(1–2), 33–35. https://doi.org/10.1215/23289252-2399524
doi: 10.1215/23289252-2399524
van Anders, S. M. (2015). Beyond sexual orientation: Integrating gender/sex and diverse sexualities via sexual configurations theory. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44(5), 1177–1213. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0490-8
doi: 10.1007/s10508-015-0490-8
pubmed: 25772652
van Anders, S. M., Herbenick, D., Brotto, L. A., Harris, E. A., & Chadwick, S. B. (2022). The heteronormativity theory of low sexual desire in women partnered with men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 51(1), 391–415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-02100-x
doi: 10.1007/s10508-021-02100-x
pubmed: 34426898
van Lankveld, J. J. D. M., Granot, M., Weijmar Schultz, W. C. M., Binik, Y. M., Wesselmann, U., Pukall, C. F., Bohm-Starke, N., & Achtrari, C. (2010). Women’s sexual pain disorders. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7((1, Part 2)), 615–631. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01631.x
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01631.x
pubmed: 20092455
Vannier, S. A., Adare, K. E., & Rosen, N. O. (2018). Is it me or you? First-time mothers’ attributions for postpartum sexual concerns are associated with sexual and relationship satisfaction in the transition to parenthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(4), 577–599. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517743086
doi: 10.1177/0265407517743086
Ward, L. M., Jerald, M., Avery, L., & Cole, E. R. (2020). Following their lead? Connecting mainstream media use to Black women’s gender beliefs and sexual agency. Journal of Sex Research, 57(2), 200–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2018.1554741
doi: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1554741
pubmed: 30624966
Wiederman, M. W. (1999). Volunteer bias in sexuality research using college student participants. Journal of Sex Research, 36(1), 59–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499909551968
doi: 10.1080/00224499909551968
Woertman, L., & van den Brink, F. (2012). Body image and female sexual functioning and behavior: A review. Journal of Sex Research, 49(2–3), 184–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.658586
doi: 10.1080/00224499.2012.658586
pubmed: 22380588
Wood, J. M., Koch, P. B., & Mansfield, P. K. (2006). Women’s sexual desire: A feminist critique. Journal of Sex Research, 43(3), 236–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490609552322
doi: 10.1080/00224490609552322
pubmed: 17599246