Relationship of time spent on masturbation assignments with orgasmic outcome in preorgasmic women's groups

Abstract

Based on the observation by Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhard (1953) that most women who make more than desultory attempts at masturbation achieve orgasm, it was hypothesized that in preorgasmic women's groups, time spent on masturbatory homework assignments would be positively related to orgasmic outcome. For 14 participants in preorgasmic women's groups, time spent practicing assignments was compared with orgasmic status at the end of therapy. Correlations among time records made at time of therapy, therapists' recollections at time of follow‐up, and subjects' recollections at follow‐up ranged from .85 to .93. A point‐biserial r of .88 (p < .001) was found between time spent on homework assignments and orgasmic status at the end of therapy. Results are consistent with those of Kinsey et al. (1953) and McMullen and Rosen (1979). Equivalence of the latters' two experimental groups is speculatively reinterpreted as due to similarity of videotape and written instructions in motivating performance of masturbatory assignments.