Greater Tactile Sensitivity and Less Use of Immature Psychological Defense Mechanisms Predict Women's Penile-Vaginal Intercourse Orgasm

A Qualitative Study on Parental Experience of Involvement in the Transition from Kindergarten to Primary School for Chinese Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Parental involvement plays a vital role in the transition from kindergarten to primary school among children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs); this study aims to explore Chinese parents' experiences of parental involvement during this period. Informed by interpretive phenomenological analysis, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were held with 10 parents. Three major themes were identified: (1) "aggressive" involvement; (2) factors in transforming parental involvement; and (3) "rational" involvement. Participants reported their perceptions, attitudes, and parenting behaviors in different phases of involvement in the transition to primary school. These findings highlight the need to support parents of children with IDDs during this time of change.

Women's finger pressure sensitivity at rest and recalled body awareness during partnered sexual activity

Greater vibrotactile sensitivity has been related to better erectile function in men, and vibrotactile and pressure tactile sensitivity have been related to better sexual function in women. Our previous study found that, for both sexes, greater recalled body awareness during last sexual relation correlated with greater recalled desire and arousal. Using the same sample of that study (68 women and 48 men, recruited in the Lisbon area, Portugal), we tested if greater recalled body awareness during last sexual relation correlates with tactile pressure sensitivity, as assessed by von Frey microfilaments. In simple and partial correlations controlling for social desirability and smoking before last sex, the hypothesis was confirmed for women, but not for men. Greater tactile sensitivity might enhance sexual arousal through greater awareness of the body during sex, and/or more frequent and pleasant body sensations during sex might lead to greater tactile sensitivity in nonsexual situations. Pressure sensitivity might be more closely linked to sexual arousal in women than in men.

Vaginal orgasm is associated with indices of women's better psychological, intimate relationship, and psychophysiological function

A recent study by Therrien and Brotto (2016) examined the associations of orgasm during intercourse, concordance of laboratory genital and subjective arousal, and demographic variables in a group of sexually dysfunctional women. The authors claimed that their results cast doubt on the large body of multi-method multi-national research demonstrating that women's orgasm from penile-vaginal intercourse, and specifically vaginal orgasm are associated with a broad range of indices of women's better psychological, intimate relationship, and psychophysiological health. The problems with Therrien and Brotto's (2016) conclusions are discussed, and include that they did not even measure vaginal orgasm (they measured orgasm during intercourse, which can in some cases consist of orgasm elicited by clitoral masturbation during intercourse), and the non-generalisability of their findings from a sexually dysfunctional sample to the general population of women. Evidence is also presented against their claims that findings regarding orgasm during intercourse have not been investigated by other researchers, and their denial of differences between vaginal orgasm and clitoral orgasm. Denial of the myriad benefits of vaginal orgasm undermines women's sexual and general health potential, and serves only the demands of political correctness.

A critical examination of the relationship between vaginal orgasm consistency and measures of psychological and sexual functioning and sexual concordance in women with sexual dysfunction

A substantial body of research supports the hypothesis that vaginal orgasm is associated with overall better health outcomes for women. The primary aim of this study was to examine correlates of orgasm consistency with intercourse (OCI) in a sample of women with sexual dysfunction to see whether these findings held in a clinical sample. Study 1 (n=255) focused on demographic and psychological correlates of OCI and Study 2 (n=81) focused on the association between sexual arousal concordance and OCI. A longer relationship length and higher orgasm scores predicted OCI whereas mood, sexual abuse history, and relationship satisfaction did not. In Study 2, sexual arousal concordance, as measured with vaginal photoplethysmography and a continuous self-report measure of sexual arousal, was not associated with OCI. These findings challenge the conclusions of Brody et al. that vaginal orgasm is a sign of psychological, sexual, and relational health.

Sexual satisfaction, sexual compatibility, and relationship adjustment in couples: the role of sexual behaviors, orgasm, and men's discernment of women's intercourse orgasm

INTRODUCTION

Research indicated that (i) vaginal orgasm consistency is associated with indices of psychological, intimate relationship, and physiological functioning, and (ii) masturbation is adversely associated with some such measures.

AIM

The aim of this study was to examine the association of various dyadic and masturbation behavior frequencies and percentage of female orgasms during these activities with: (i) measures of dyadic adjustment; (ii) sexual satisfaction; and (iii) compatibility perceived by both partners.

METHODS

In a sample of 85 Czech long-term couples (aged 20-40; mean relationship length 5.4 years), both partners provided details of recent sexual behaviors and completed sexual satisfaction, Spanier dyadic adjustment, and Hurlbert sexual compatibility measures. Multiple regression analyses were used.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The association of sexual behaviors with dyadic adjustment, sexual compatibility, and satisfaction was analyzed.

RESULTS

In multivariate analyses, women's dyadic adjustment is independently predicted by greater vaginal orgasm consistency and lower frequency of women's masturbation. For both sexes, sexual compatibility was independently predicted by higher frequency of penile-vaginal intercourse and greater vaginal orgasm consistency. Women's sexual satisfaction score was significantly predicted by greater vaginal orgasm consistency, frequency of partner genital stimulation, and negatively with masturbation. Men's sexual satisfaction score was significantly predicted by greater intercourse frequency and any vaginal orgasm of their female partners. Concordance of partner vaginal orgasm consistency estimates was associated with greater dyadic adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that specifically penile-vaginal intercourse frequency and vaginal orgasm consistency are associated with indices of greater intimate relationship adjustment, satisfaction, and compatibility of both partners, and that women's masturbation is independently inversely associated with measures of dyadic and personal function. Results are discussed in light of previous research and an evolutionary theory of vaginal orgasm.

The influence of personality and coping on female sexual function: a population survey

INTRODUCTION

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a common disorder with limited data investigating relationships with psychological influences, such as personality traits and coping mechanisms.

AIM

To investigate the relationship and impact of personality traits and coping strategies on female sexual function.

METHODS

A web-based survey was distributed to a sample of women representative of the area's demographic distribution.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Ten Item Personality Index (TIPI), and the Brief COPE.

RESULTS

Five hundred twenty-six females responded. The mean total FSFI score was 24.56 (SD 6.77) with lowest scores in the desire domain. Personality scores were similar to published normative values. Subjects displaying stronger tendencies for introversion (r = 0.246, P < 0.001), not being open to new experiences (r = 0.159, P = 0.008), and emotional instability (r = 0.244, P < 0.001) were found to have significantly worse sexual function. Conscientiousness was significantly associated with better desire, orgasm, satisfaction, and total FSFI score (P = 0.029, P = 0.002, P = 0.005, P = 0.003). Moreover, the utilization of negative coping strategies such as self-blame, self-distraction, and behavioral disengagement, significantly correlated with poor sexual function (r = -0.298, P < 0.001, r = -0.360, P < 0.001, r = -0.398, P < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Personality and coping are linked to sexual function with introversion, not being open to new experiences, emotional instability, and the utilization of negative coping strategies being significantly associated with poor sexual function. Women presenting with sexual function complaints may need further evaluation of their personality and coping strategies in order to mitigate any negative impact of these tendencies.

Immature psychological defense mechanisms are associated with greater personal importance of junk food, alcohol, and television

Immature psychological defense mechanisms are psychological processes that play an important role in suppressing emotional awareness and contribute to psychopathology. In addition, unhealthy food, television viewing, and alcohol consumption can be among the means to escape self-awareness. In contrast, engaging in, and responding fully to specifically penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) is associated with indices of better emotional regulation, including less use of immature defense mechanisms. There was a lack of research on the association of immature defense mechanisms with personal importance of junk food, alcohol, television, PVI, and noncoital sex. In an online survey, 334 primarily Scottish women completed the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40), and rated the personal importance of junk food, alcohol, television, PVI, and noncoital sex. Immature defense mechanisms correlated with importance of junk food, alcohol, and television. Importance of PVI correlated with mature defenses, and less use of some component immature defenses. Importance of alcohol correlated with importance of junk food, television, and noncoital sex. Importance of junk food was correlated with importance of television and noncoital sex. The findings are discussed in terms of persons with poorer self-regulatory abilities having more interest in junk food, television, and alcohol, and less interest in PVI.

Slimmer women's waist is associated with better erectile function in men independent of age

Previous research has indicated that men generally rate slimmer women as more sexually attractive, consistent with the increased morbidity risks associated with even mild abdominal adiposity. To assess the association of women's waist size with a more tangible measure of perceived sexual attractiveness (as well as reward value for both sexes), we examined the association of women's age and waist circumference with an index of men's erectile function (IIEF-5 scores), frequency of penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI), and sexual satisfaction in a representative sample of Czechs (699 men and 715 women) aged 35-65 years. Multivariate analyses indicated that better erectile function scores were independently associated with younger age of self and partner and women's slimmer waist. PVI frequency was independently associated with women's younger age and women's slimmer waist. Sexual satisfaction was independently associated with men's younger age and slimmer waist for both sexes. Better erectile function, greater PVI frequency, and greater sexual satisfaction were associated with women's slimmer waist, independently of both sexes' ages. Possible reasons for the waist effects were discussed, including women's abdominal body fat decreasing their own desire through neurohormonal mechanisms and decreasing their partner's desire through evolutionarily-related decreased sexual attractiveness.