Masturbatory guilt and sexual responsiveness among post-college-age women: Sexual satisfaction revisited

Abstract

Although masturbation has come to be viewed as a n appropriate sexual outlet for women, it is the one form of sexual behavior that has been most harshly treated throughout the centuries by society, religion, and the field of medicine. Thus, despite the increased incidence of masturbation among adult women during the 1970s and 1980s, substantial evidence suggests that guilt feelings associated with the practice may interfere with physiological and psychological sexual satisfaction in general.

The purposes of this study were to determine the degree of masturbatory guilt, if any, and its effects on the sexual responsiveness and sexual satisfaction of adult women. An anonymous questionnaire concerning self-perception of the female sexual response was administered to female, registered nurses in 15 states, yielding a sample of 868 respondents. The 671 respondents who were the focus of this investigation hadengaged in masturbation and revealed their guilt status regarding the practice.

Those women who reported guilt feelings associated with masturbation were more likely to have negative feelings toward the practice and less likely to indicate positive physiological and psychological reactions after engaging in self-stimulation. Further, they were less likely to report sexual adjustment, physiological sexual satisfaction, and psychological sexual satisfaction. Since masturbation has emerged as a potential sexual outlet and as a means to engage in personal body exploration for women, these findings have substantial implications for therapists, physicians, sexuality professionals, and researchers.