General Sexual Satisfaction Research Articles

Quality of life and sexuality changes in postmenopausal women receiving tibolone therapy

Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tibolone on the sexuality and quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausal women.MethodsForty-eight postmenopausal women were enrolled and prospectively randomized to receive either HRT or tibolone for 3 months. At the end of the 3-month period, quality of life measures were assessed usingthe Greene Climacteric Scale and attitudes of sexuality were evaluated using the McCoy Sex Scale.Results Based on subjective qualitative scores, tibolone treatment was at least as effectiveas continuous combined HRT in improving quality of life. It also effectively prevented withdrawal bleeding, which may occur during HRT use. Compared with continuous combined HRT, tibolone treatment wasalso associated with perceived improvement of sexual performance, including general sexual satisfaction, sexual interest, sexual fantasies, sexual arousal and orgasm, with decreased frequencies of vaginaldryness and painful intercourse.Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that both tibolone and continuous combined HRT have positive effects on the quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausalwomen. Sexuality is affected more by tibolone than by HRT.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Drinking Status as Predictors of Older Women's Health

As part of a U.S. national survey of women's drinking and life experiences, the authors used responses from a subsample (n = 245) of women aged 55-90 years (M = 65.8 years) to examine the relationship of sociodemographic characteristics (income, marital status, and occupational status) and drinking status to several health outcomes (self-perceived general health, depression, sexual satisfaction, and sexual dysfunction). In all analyses, the authors controlled for respondent age. Results indicated that higher household income predicted greater lifetime and current sexual satisfaction with a partner as well as higher general health ratings. Women drinkers also reported better general health than did abstainers. An interaction between marital status (married or cohabitating vs. nonmarried) and employment status (employed vs. nonemployed) was a predictor of general health ratings. The authors found significant contrasts among the 4 groups when they controlled for age, income, and drinking status: (a) Among the employed respondents, the nonmarried women reported better general health than did the married women; and (b) among nonmarried respondents, the employed women reported better general health than did the nonemployed women.

Perfectionism and Sexual Satisfaction in Intimate Relationships

This study sought to provide information on the relations between trait perfectionism and perfectionistic self-presentation and sexual satisfaction in married couples. A sample of 74 married or cohabiting couples were recruited from the community to participate in the study. They completed measures of perfectionism, perfectionistic self-presentation, sexual satisfaction, dyadic adjustment, and depression. The results showed that the interpersonal dimensions of trait perfectionism were negatively related to general sexual satisfaction and sexual satisfaction with the partner for both husbands and wives. After partialing out marital satisfaction and depression, the husband's sexual satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated with his own socially prescribed perfectionism and with his wife's ratings of other-oriented perfectionism. The wife's satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated both with her husband's socially prescribed perfectionism and with her own socially prescribed perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, and perfectionistic self-presentation. Regression analyses suggest that the wife's other-oriented perfectionism is a unique predictor of her general lower sexual satisfaction and her husband's lower satisfaction with her contribution to the sexual relationship. Overall, the findings suggest that perfectionistic expectations have an important role to play in sexual satisfaction in married couples.

Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and fluvoxamine in a prospective, multicenter, and descriptive clinical study of 344 patients

The authors analyzed the incidence of sexual dysfunction (SD) with different selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline) and hence the qualitative and quantitative changes in SD throughout time in a prospective and multicenter study. Outpatients (192 women and 152 men; age = 39.6± 11.4 years) under treatment with SSRIs were interviewed with an SD questionnaire designed for this purpose by the authors and that included questions about the following: decreased libido, delayed orgasm or anorgasmia, delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, impotence, and general sexual satisfaction. Patients with the following criteria were included: normal sexual function before SSRI intake, exclusive treatment with SSHs or treatment associated with benzodiazepines, previous heterosexual or self-erotic current sexual practices. Excluded were patients with previous sexual dysfunction, association of SSRIs with neuroleptics, recent honnone intake, and significant medical illnesses. There was a significant increase in the incidence of SD when physicians asked the patients direct questions (58%)versus when SD was spontaneously reported (14%). There were some significant differences among different SSRIs: paroxetine provoked more delay of orgasm or ejaculation and more impotence than fluvoxamine, fluoxetine and sertraline (X, p < .05). Only 24.5% of the patients had a good tolerance of their sexual dysfunction. Twelve male patients who suffered from premature ejaculation before the treatment preferred to maintain delayed ejaculation, and their sexual satisfaction, and that of their partners, clearly improved. Sexual dysfunction was positively correlated with dose. Patients experienced substantial improvement in sexual function when the dose was diminished or the drug was withdrawn. Men showed more incidence of sexual dysfunction than women, but women 3 sexual dysfunction was more intense than men's. I n only 5.8% of patients, the dysfunction disappeared completely within 6 months, but 81.4% showed no improvement at all by the end of this period. Twelve of 15 patients experienced total improvement when the treatment was changed to mclobemide (450–600 mg/day), and 3 of 5 patients impoved when treatment was changed to amineptine (200 mg/day).

The pinney sexual satisfaction inventory

The purpose of the present investigation was to (a) develop a reliable self‐report questionnaire that assesses women's sexual satisfaction and (b) investigate the correlates of sexual satisfaction in women. A total of 275 college‐aged women completed the Pinney Sexual Satisfaction Inventory (PSSI) and were also assessed on a variety of sexual behaviors, experiences, and attitudes. The results supported the internal reliability of the PSSI, and evidence of covergent validity was provided by strong positive correlations between the PSSI and other measures of sexual satisfaction. A factor analysis revealed two underlying dimensions of the PSSI: General Sexual Satisfaction and Satisfaction with Partner. The variables that were most highly correlated with the PSSI were relationship commitment, orgasm consistency, frequency of intercourse, and effectiveness of contraceptive device. These findings have implications for further use of the PSSI in research and clinical practice.

Relationship factors as predictors of causal attributions about sexual experiences

This study investigated the relation between general relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction by seeking to identify which aspects of one's relationship would predict attributions made about sexual experiences. Subjects were 233 male and female graduate and undergraduate students who were asked to rate the extent to which self, partner, situational, and relationship factors were causes for sexually satisfying and unsatisfying experiences. General relationship satisfaction, phase of relationship involvement, depth of sexual involvement, importance of sexual satisfaction to overall relationship contentment, sexual history, and gender were variables entered into multiple regression analysis to identify the “best fit” model predicting causal attributions to each dimension. Findings revealed that relationship satisfaction and gender appeared to contribute to a reliable “best fit” model which predicted attributions to the sexual relationship for satisfying sexual outcomes. Sexual history was a strong predictor variable, occurring in the best fit models for all but two attribution dimensions; other relationship variables were not strong contributors to predictive models. Finally, the inclusion of an interpersonal attributional dimension, the relationship, appeared to be highly relevant when persons identified explanations for their sexual experience outcomes. Implications of the findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Sexual satisfaction among middle-aged couples: correlation with frequency of intercourse and health status

The central hypothesis of this investigation is that the greater the sexual satisfaction that a couple reports from their sexual relationship, the better will be their adjustment to the changes that occur during middle age, as reflected in their reported health status and health behaviour. Forty-seven married couples, of North African Jewish origin, were investigated, the women being in the age range 48–53 yr. The findings regarding reported frequency of sexual intercourse and sexual satisfaction of women and men separately showed that a great majority of both men (87%) and women (74%) reported a decrease in sexual activity over the 5 yr preceding the study. Most of the men (56%) said the change was due to the aging process, whereas the women's responses were more varied and included aging, worries and decrease in sexual interest or desire. Eighty percent of the men reported satisfaction in their sexual relationship with their wives, but only 43% of the women stated that they were satisfied. A significant correlation was found, for women only, between the degree of satisfaction and the change in frequency of intercourse. Among the women there was also a positive correlation between general life satisfaction and sexual satisfaction. The hypothesis in regard to mutual (couple) sexual satisfaction was not confirmed in the men. It was validated in the women in regard to only two of the four criteria used - their perception of their health status and of their well-being. The women perceived the sexual satisfaction of their husbands much more accurately than the husbands perceived that of their wives.

Sexuality after stroke with hemiplegia. II. With special regard to partnership adjustment and to fulfilment

Aspects of sexual function, partnership responsiveness and fulfilment after stroke were, together with sexually performance orientated and stigmatic attitudes, investigated in 51 subjects. Erectile and orgastic spectatoring were frequent after stroke and were in the males significantly associated. Retarded ejaculation occurred for no males before but for 15% after the stroke. Marked decreases in different kinds of caressive behaviour were followed by discontentment and up to and about half the subjects felt that sexual partnership responsiveness had deteriorated. After the stroke the commonly occurring reduction in general sexual satisfaction was significantly associated with symptoms of increased sexual dysfunction, disturbed partnership responsiveness and reduced sexual fulfilment. The high prevalence of sexual maladjustment in stroke victims appears mostly to be psychogenic. Important precipitating factors are performance orientation and sexual stigmatism. Moreover, lack of sexual information and counselling may contribute to deterioration of partnership sexuality.

Reactions to the Implantation of an Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Among Psychogenically and Organically Impotent Men

We evaluated 17 nondepressed and psychologically stable recipients of an inflatable penile prosthesis who had been either organically or psychogenically impotent and 12 of their sexual partners several months after surgical implantation. The men were evaluated for changes in general psychological adjustment, sexual satisfaction and sexual activity. The partners were assessed separately on similar instruments. Two scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory were found to have potential for initially discriminating organic and psychogenic impotence. The hypothesis that psychogenic recipients would manifest more psychological difficulties and would be less satisfied was only partially supported. While neither group suffered significant disturbance in psychological adjustment a consistent pattern was noted in which psychogenic patients were somewhat less satisfied with the results and experienced more postoperative complications. However, over-all reactions were positive, including increases in frequency of sexual intercourse and duration of sexual play for patients and their partners.

Some factors influencing quality of sexual life after myocardial infarction.

In 49 male survivors of one myocardial infarction (MI) aspects of sexual function before and after the vascular catastrophe were investigated by means of structured interviews. In additionally 13 subjects penile blood pressure and flow were measured. In 63% of the subjects sexual function had deteriorated to some extent after the MI. The level of general sexual satisfaction decreased in 45%, and changes were associated with changes in sexual function. Stigmatization was associated with sexual dysfunctions. The findings indicate that both biologic and psychosocial factors are influential on the emergence of sexual dysfunction and, therefore, frustration.