Women's Attributions Regarding Why They Have Difficulty Reaching Orgasm

ABSTRACT

Difficulty reaching orgasm during partnered sex is relatively common among women. Yet the reasons, likely multivariate, are not fully understood. This study identified perceived causes for orgasmic difficulty in 452 women during partnered sex. The most commonly endorsed reasons were stress/anxiety, insufficient arousal, and lack of time during sex; body image, pain, inadequate lubrication, and medical/medication issues were endorsed less frequently. Distressed and nondistressed women differed on several attributions, including sexual interest, partner perceptions, stress, and adequate time during sex. These findings implicate greater internalization of attributions among distressed women compared with nondistressed women and suggest possible avenues for remediation.

Notes

1 We refer to this group as the “orgasmic difficulty” group on the assumption that they did not necessarily meet the DSM-5 criteria for a clinical diagnosis of FOD. See text regarding the percentage of women indicating distress or bother about their condition in the orgasmic difficulty (OD) group.