Female Sexual Arousal and the Menstrual Cycle

Englander‐Golden, Paula; Chang, Horng-Shing; Whitmore, Mary R.; Dienstbier, Richard A.

doi:10.1080/0097840x.1980.9935017

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Several investigators demonstrated that stereotypes about menstruation influence reports of menstrual symptoms (Englander-Golden et al, 1978;Englander-Golden et al, 1980;Koeske & Koeske, 1975;Paige, 1973;Parlee, 1974). If this is the case, one would anticipate seeing a greater incidence of menstrual symptoms elicited by an instrument that specifically requests data about menstrual symptoms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, when women were aware that sexual arousal was being studied as a function of the menstrual cycle, they tended to report in a manner consistent with cultural stereotypes. Women who were aware of the purpose of the study reported their highest level of sexual arousal during the luteal phase, whereas women who were unaware of the purpose reported the lowest level of sexual arousal during the luteal phase (Englander-Golden, Chang, Whitmore, & Dienstbier, 1980). Parlee (1974) asked male and female undergraduates to respond to the Moos (1968) Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) instructing them to indicate what symptoms women experienced during the menstrual flow, one week before menstruation, and during the remainder of the cycle.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Estimating perimenstrual distress: A comparison of two methods

Woods

Most²,

Dery³

1982

Research in Nursing & Health

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The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of measuring menstrual distress. Seventy-three women, 18 to 35 years of age, selected from lower-middle to upper-middle income neighborhoods kept a daily diary for a two-month period. Following completion of the diary, the women responded to the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) with reference to their last menstrual period. Estimates for all symptoms on the MDQ exceeded those in the diary. The greatest discrepancies between the two methods were found for water retention and negative affect symptoms. Concordance of perimenstrual symptom reporting across the two measures was statistically significant only for menstrual cramps, K = .248, p less than .021, and premenstrual backache, K = .203, p less than .036). Although these results suggest that estimates of dysmenorrhea symptoms are least affected by the data collection method, they are consistent with the hypothesized joint effects of menstrual stereotypes and recall bias on retrospective symptom reports; these sources of bias should be considered in future menstrual, distress research.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating perimenstrual distress: A comparison of two methods

Woods

Most²,

Dery³

1982

Research in Nursing & Health

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“…The relationship of estrogen level to sexual response has been studied in premenopausal women across the menstrual cycle. While some investiga-tors have reported a peak in sexual desire or activity midcycle when estrogen level is high (Adams, Gold, & Burt, 1978;Englander-Golden, Chang, Whitmore, & Dienstbier, 1980;Udry & Morris, 1968), methodological problems including accurate identification of menstrual cycle phase make interpretation of results difficult. Other studies in which direct assays of estrogen levels have been made and related to sexual response show no relationship between estrogen and sexual functioning (Abplanalp, Donnelly, & Rose, 1979;Persky, Lief, Strauss, Miller, & O'Brien, 1978).…”

Section: Are Hormone Levels Related To Sexual Functioning?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexuality in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

Morokoff

1988

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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This article reviews psychosocial and biological aspects of the effects of menopause on sexuality. Sexuality is conceptualized as having multiple dimensions including desire, arousal, and orgasm. Population studies have revealed that postmenopausal status is associated with decline in these components of sexual functioning. While it is probable that psychological response to menopause affects sexual functioning, little research has addressed this issue. Considerable research has addressed the possible relationship between sexuality and menopausal hormone changes. Some research shows that low estrogen levels are associated with diminished sexual response and that estrogen replacement produces enhanced sexual response. Other studies, however, do not show this. Testosterone level is more clearly related to at least some measures of sexuality. Issues for future research are discussed.

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“…The unreliability of retrospective memory is well documented (McCance et al, 1937;Englander-Golden et al, 1980). Longitudinal studies of changes in sexual desire are listed in Table 2.…”

Section: Proceptivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These studies generally show a post-menstrual rise, then a slight and variable luteal decrease. Daily ratings of items related to sexual arousal did show a significant mid-cycle peak for women who were unaware of the menstrual cycle focus of the study (Englander-Golden et al, 1980). One sophisticated study (Sanders et al, 1983) separated premenstrual mood changes from sexuality by factor analysis.…”

Section: Proceptivitymentioning

confidence: 99%

The menstrual cycle and components of human female sexual behaviour

Hill

1988

Journal of Social and Biological Systems

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In non-human primates, gonadal hormones alter attractivity and proceptivity to produce maximal sexual interaction around ovulation. A review of the relevant literature for humans revealed little comparable data. Hormonal correlations with human sexual behaviour have been difficult to demonstrate, and the most prominent peak of conscious sexual desire appears to occur in the mid-follicular rather than the ovulatory phase. There is evidence, however, for a mid-cycle peak in female sexual initiation. We suggest that the notion of non-cyclicity in humans may result from a lack of research concentration on separate components of sexual receptivity and on socio-environmental factors that may interact with hormonal influences.

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Female Sexual Arousal and the Menstrual Cycle

Cited by 18 publications

References 14 publications

Estimating perimenstrual distress: A comparison of two methods

Estimating perimenstrual distress: A comparison of two methods

Sexuality in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women

The menstrual cycle and components of human female sexual behaviour

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