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Cited by 774Sexual function and dysfunction studiesSexuality, Behavior, and TechnologySex work and related issues

Distress about sex: a national survey of women in heterosexual relationships.

Bancroft, John, Loftus, Jeni, Long, J. Scott·2003·Archives of Sexual Behavior
DOI 10.1023/a:1023420431760
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Abstract

As a consequence of the impact of Viagra on male sexual dysfunction, considerable attention is now being paid to sexual dysfunctions in women, which might respond to pharmacological treatment. Should women's sexual problems be conceptualized in the same way as men's? The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of distress about sexuality among women, and examine the predictors of such distress, including aspects of the woman's sexual experience, as well as other aspects of hercurrent situation. A telephone survey of women used Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing and Telephone-Audio-Computer-Assisted Self-Interviewing methodology to investigate respondents' sexual experiences in the previous month. A national probability sample was used of 987 White or Black/African American women aged 20-65 years, with English as first language, living for at least 6 months in a heterosexual relationship. The participation rate was 53.1%. Weighting was applied to increase the representativeness of the sample. A total of 24.4% of women reported marked distress about their sexual relationship and/or their own sexuality. The best predictors of sexual distress were markers of general emotional well-being and emotional relationship with the partner during sexual activity. Physical aspects of sexual response in women, including arousal, vaginal lubrication, and orgasm, were poor predictors. In general, the predictors of distress about sex did not fit well with the DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of sexual dysfunction in women. These findings are compared with those from other studies involving representative samples of women, and the conceptual issues involved in the use of terms such as "sexual problem" and "sexual dysfunction" are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1023/a:1023420431760

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  • A number of behavioural studies have reported a decline in sexual interest in women as they age.

    “A number of behavioural studies have reported a decline in sexual interest in women as they age (see Bancroft 1989, Bancroft et al. 2003).”

    From The endocrinology of sexual arousal (2005) · cites this paper as Bancroft et al. 2003

  • There is a strong relationship between mood and sexuality, demonstrated particularly in women.

    “Given the strong relationship between mood and sexuality, which has been demonstrated particularly in women (e.g.Bancroft et al. 2003)”

    From The endocrinology of sexual arousal (2005) · cites this paper as Bancroft et al. 2003

  • Drug treatments for women's sexual complaints have been largely unsuccessful because women's sexuality relies more on psychological than physiological factors.

    “Treatments of female sexual dysfunction have been largely unsuccessful because they do not address the psychological factors that underlie female sexuality.”

    From Effects of Mindfulness Training on Body Awareness to Sexual Stimuli: Implications for Female Sexual Dysfunction (2011) · cites this paper as [5]

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Authors
Bancroft, J., Loftus, J., & Long, J. S.
Affiliations
Indiana University Bloomington (US)
Corresponding author
Bancroft, John
Venue
Archives of Sexual Behavior
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2003-06
Volume
32
Issue
3
Pages
193-208
ISSN
  • 0004-0002 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2800
DOI
10.1023/a:1023420431760
OpenAlex
W1516523922
Cited by
774
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 39 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 45 · 2012: 41
FWCI
20.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Archives of Sexual Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Sex work and related issues
Keywords
sexual distress, female sexual dysfunction, emotional well-being, couple relationships, sexual arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, heterosexual couples
MeSH terms
Adult, Affect, Age Factors, Aged, Aging, Demography, Dyspareunia, Female, Health Status, Humans, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Severity of Illness Index, Sexual Behavior, Logistic Models, Heterosexuality, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological

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