Female sexual desire: what helps, what hinders, and what women want

Abstract

An Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT) was used to examine what helps, what hinders, and what might help female sexual desire. Nine women in cohabitating, long-term relationships were interviewed to explore their lived experiences of sexual desire. Each participant was asked what sexual desire means to them/how they define it, what helps and hinders their sexual desire, and what they think could help their sexual desire. ECIT analysis of participant responses resulted in the identification of 246 critical incidents, 114 helping incidents, 98 hindering incidents, and 34 wish list items, which fit into a scheme of 12 categories. Findings revealed that women’s sexual desire is a composite construct: there is a vast diversity and multidimensionality in the way sexual desire is defined and experienced. Factors that help/hinder/might help range from intrapersonal and relational factors to logistical, sociocultural, and systemic. The 12 categories can act as a framework for areas of clinical inquiry when treating concerns regarding female sexual desire. The multitude of helping and wish-list factors discovered emphasize the importance of positive-psychology and sex-positive approaches to female sexual desire. Counselling implications include widening the intrapersonal and relational focus to address and include sociocultural, economic, political, and other contextual concerns.

Keywords:

• Sexual desire
• female sexual desire
• women’s sexuality
• relationship therapy
• sex therapy

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the following contributors to this study: Dr. Daniele Doucet (née Duplassie), who assisted with the conceptualization of this research project and critically reviewed the study proposal; Dr. Gillian Smith, who critically reviewed the final manuscript; Dr. Ana Mozol, who critically reviewed the study proposal; Ria Nishikawara, who acted as the research consultant, and Constance Hummel, who offered expert feedback on the final categories and initial findings.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stefanie Sara Krasnow

Stefanie Krasnow is a researcher and Registered Clinical Counsellor with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Adler University and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from The New School for Social Research.

Asa-Sophia Maglio

Asa-Sophia Maglio is a Professor and Program Director in Counselling Psychology with Adler University, Vancouver campus.