Qualitative Evidence of the Subjective Orgasm Experience

Subjective Orgasm Experience (SOE) is defined as the perception and appraisal of orgasm from a psychological point of view, and constitutes a different approach to the more traditional one based on the presence/absence of orgasm or difficulties associated with it. This dimension of sexual functioning has been associated with sexual health variables (e.g., sexual satisfaction), and depends on the context in which it occurs (sexual relationships vs. solitary masturbation). One of the most relevant measures of SOE is the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS), which conceptualizes orgasm based on four dimensions: Affective, Sensory, Intimacy, and Rewards.

A recent study published in Behavioral Sciences by researchers Pablo Mangas and Juan Carlos Sierra, in collaboration with Mateus Egilson da Silva Alves and Ludgleydson Fernandes de Araújo, from the Universidade Federal do Delta do Parnaíba (Brazil), constitutes the first qualitative approach to SOE from the ORS paradigm. This study examined the adjectives self-generated by a sample of the Spanish population to refer to their orgasms in the contexts of sexual relationships and solitary masturbation, as well as the coincidence with the semantic descriptions of orgasm proposed by the ORS. Four hundred Spanish adults with recent orgasmic experiences participated, who, by means of the Free Association of Words technique, responded to two inducing stimuli (description of orgasm in the context of sexual relationships, and in the context of masturbation).

The findings replicate the quantitative evidence existing to date from the SOE research. Participants in the study evoked all but two of the ORS adjectives in the relationship context ("shooting" and "spreading") and four in the masturbation context ("tender," "flooding" "rising" and "spreading"). "Spreading" was the only ORS adjective not evoked in any of the contexts analyzed. The most frequently used adjectives belong to the affective dimension, and when examining the co-occurrence with which people generate the adjectives, almost all of them are evoked simultaneously with some of this affective dimension, both in the context of sexual relationships and in that of masturbation. In the sexual relationship context, there is more homogeneity in terms of evocation, whereas in the masturbation context, more heterogeneous and idiosyncratic descriptions were offered, as well as a predominance of the rewards dimension. Through this study it was also found that some people evoked negative adjectives associated with orgasm in the context of solitary masturbation, something that is not contemplated by the different existing models, a fact that should be explored in greater depth.

In short, this study provided qualitative evidence to the SOE study and ratified the semantic composition of the ORS, which was evoked almost in its entirety, without the need to provide cues (its adjectives were generated spontaneously in the discourse). In addition, similarities were observed between both contexts, although with differential nuances, consistent with previous quantitative evidence: prominence of the affective dimension when describing the orgasmic experience in both contexts and significant presence of the rewards dimension in the context of masturbation.

Mangas, P., da Silva Alves, M. E., Fernandes de Araújo, L., & Sierra, J. C. (2024). The empire of affectivity: Qualitative evidence of the subjective orgasm experience. Behavioral Sciences, 14. Article 171. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030171 

Association of desire with sexual satisfaction: Does it vary based on adherence to the sexual double standard?

Sexual satisfaction, considered as a key factor in quality of life and overall well-being, is associated with various components of sexual response, such as sexual desire. Desire, defined as the interest in engaging in sexual activities, has three dimensions: dyadic toward a partner, dyadic toward an attractive person, and solitary. A sexual attitude that has been associated with both satisfaction and sexual desire is the sexual double standard. The sexual double standard, considered an attitude based on gender prejudice, involves evaluating sexual behavior with different criteria depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. Individuals may adhere to a sexual double standard man-favorable, woman-favorable, or define themselves as egalitarian, in two areas of sexual behaviors (sexual freedom and shyness).

In the study conducted by Óscar Cervilla, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Lola Jimeno Fernández, and Juan Carlos Sierra published in Sexuality & Culture, the question is raised whether the association between desire and sexual satisfaction might differ depending on the type of adherence to the sexual double standard. To address this question, these variables were assessed in 444 men and 499 women in heterosexual relationships.

The results reflected that the sexual double standard is a variable that determines the relationship between satisfaction and sexual desire. Firstly, the three dimensions of sexual desire are confirmed, as all three types of desire exhibit different behaviors in their association with sexual satisfaction.

Partner-focused dyadic sexual desire was positively associated with sexual satisfaction in all typologies of the sexual double standard (man-favorable, woman-favorable, and egalitarian). This result highlights the socio-emotional aspects of romantic relationships, as greater sexual desire toward the partner implies greater satisfaction in sexual relations, unlike dyadic sexual desire for an attractive person, which was not associated with sexual satisfaction.

On the other hand, solitary sexual desire was negatively associated with sexual satisfaction in the woman-favorable typology in the context of sexual freedom, in both men and women, and in the egalitarian typology, in the context of sexual shyness, in men. This finding seems to support the compensatory hypothesis of masturbation, attributing to this behavior the function of compensating for lack or dissatisfaction with sexual relations. It is noteworthy that, in both men and women, this negative association is observed in typologies of the sexual double standard that reflect new sexual scripts (i.e., the woman-favorable typology). From this perspective, men with an attitude that favors their own inhibition and promotes women's readiness to initiate sexual activity may express more solitary sexual desire and resort to masturbation to compensate for their unmet expectations; while in women, masturbation could be compensating for dissatisfaction during sexual activity with their partner, when the responsibility for achieving orgasm would largely fall on them. Furthermore, the finding in the egalitarian typology in the context of sexual shyness emphasizes the importance of studying continence, chastity, and decorum, as even though these individuals consider a single standard for men and women, approval of sexual shyness for both could negatively influence their experience of sexuality.

In summary, the findings reveal that partner-focused dyadic sexual desire is positively associated with sexual satisfaction in all typologies of the sexual double standard, highlighting the relevance of this type of desire for the couple. Additionally, a negative association is found between solitary sexual desire and sexual satisfaction in typologies contrary to traditional sexual double standard, supporting the compensatory hypothesis of masturbation. Finally, these results support the three-dimensional model of desire, due to the relative independence observed in its three types.

Cervilla, O., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Jimeno Fernández, L., & Sierra, J. C. (2024). Relation between desire and sexual satisfaction in different typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard. Sexuality & Culture. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-024-10196-1  

An instrument to evaluate biphobia in Spain

Bisexual individuals - those who feel romantic and/or sexual attraction to people of both their own sex and the opposite sex - are often considered immature or confused, since society tends to classify reality into binary or opposite categories (for example , heterosexual vs. homosexual, man vs. woman). Bisexual people often face "double discrimination" from both the straight and gay communities. Previous research has concluded that bisexual people, compared to heterosexuals and gays, show a higher prevalence of psychopathological disorders, more suicidal ideas and attempts. These data cannot be ignored since bisexuality is the most common sexual orientation among LGBTQ+ individuals.

Alberto González, Pablo Roca, María del Mar Sánchez-Fuentes, Yaiza Jiménez-Pérez and Daniel Ondé carried out a study published in the Journal of Bisexuality, whose objective was to adapt and validate the Biphobia Scale in the Spanish population. It is one of the most used instruments worldwide and is composed of 30 items that evaluate negative cognitions, affects and behaviors regarding bisexuality and bisexual individuals.

The study involved 466 Spanish adults, aged between 18 and 65, with the majority identifying as cisgender (91.6%), heterosexual (53.3%), and with university studies (64.5%). The scale presented a unidimensional structure with adequate internal consistency reliability. Results revealed low levels of biphobia, with heterosexual individuals exhibiting higher levels than gay individuals, and men more than women. Additionally, individuals with more pronounced sexist attitudes and greater internalized homophobia reported higher levels of biphobia.

In summary, this research offers an instrument with adequate psychometric properties and useful for evaluating biphobia in the Spanish population.

González Robles, A., Roca, P., Sánchez-Fuentes, M. M., Jiménez-Pérez, Y., & Ondé, D. (2024). Exploring biphobia among heterosexuals and LGBTQ+ individuals in Spain: Psychometric properties of the Biphobia Scale in a Spanish sample. Journal of Bisexality. Adavence online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2024.2309393

Multidimensionality of the subjective orgasm experience in masturbation

The subjective orgasm experience refers to the perception and appraisal of the psychological qualities of this component of sexual response. Previous studies carried out by researchers at the Laboratorio de Sexualidad Humana have proposed the Multidimensional Model of the Subjective Orgasm Experience in the context of sexual relationships. This model integrates four dimensions: Affective or feelings accompanying orgasm (e.g., pleasure); Sensory or physical sensations (e.g., uncontrollability), Intimacy or intimate aspects experienced (e.g., loving) and Reward or rewarding effects of orgasm (e.g., comforting).

Considering that the experience of orgasm may vary according to the context (e.g., sexual relationships vs. masturbation), it was proposed to validate this multidimensional model of orgasm in the context of solitary masturbation. Therefore, in the study by Óscar Cervilla, Juan Carlos Sierra, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Pablo Mangas, Gracia M. Sánchez-Pérez and Reina Granados, published in the Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, support this model in the context of solitary masturbation, similar to how it had been done in the context of sexual relationships. For this purpose, we examined associations between the four dimensions of orgasm experienced in solitary masturbation and different sexual arousal measures (propensity for sexual excitation/inhibition, ratings of sexual arousal and genital sensations, and genital response (i.e., penile erection or vaginal pulse amplitude). Sexual arousal is assessed in a laboratory setting with videos of people masturbating.

Results indicate that, in men, more sexual arousal measures, especially the propensity for sexual excitation/inhibition, have been associated with the subjective orgasm experience. In women, the rating of sexual arousal was the most relevant variable. These results highlight gender differences in the relationship between sexual arousal and the subjective orgasm experience in solitary masturbation.

In conclusion, this study provides validity of the multidimensional model of the subjective orgasm experience in solitary masturbation, highlighting the relationship between measures of sexual arousal and the subjective orgasm experience. The multidimensional perspective offers a conceptual framework for assessing orgasm considering differences between men and women. This approach contributes to understanding diverse patterns and underlines the importance of considering orgasm not only in the context of sexual relationships, with implications for sex therapy.

Cervilla, O., Sierra, J. C., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Mangas, P., Sánchez-Pérez, G., & Granados, R. (2024). Validation of the Multidimensional Model of the Subjective Orgasm Experience in the context of masturbation. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, 15, 18-26. https://doi.org/10.23923/j.rips.2024.01.072 

How does masturbation relate to sexual satisfaction? 

Masturbation, whether solitary or with a partner, is considered a healthy sexual behavior that promotes self-exploration and sexual learning throughout life. Masturbation is notable for its therapeutic role in addressing some sexual difficulties. Despite the relevance of this behavior for sexual health and its involvement in different dimensions of sexual functioning, such as sexual desire, sexual arousal and orgasm, its relationship with sexual satisfaction has not been systematically examined.

Therefore, in a systematic review conducted by Óscar Cervilla, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, and Juan Carlos Sierra, published in Healthcare, the results of studies that have examined the relationship between masturbation (frequency or presence/absence), and sexual satisfaction were analysed.

The results show that, in men, most studies show a negative relationship between solitary masturbation and sexual satisfaction, highlighting that masturbation could have a compensatory role for dissatisfaction with sexual relations. In women, there is greater heterogeneity in the findings. Although women may also masturbate because of sexual dissatisfaction, there is more evidence than men for a positive relationship between solitary masturbation and sexual satisfaction highlighting the empowering role that female masturbation may have. This would support the complementary role of masturbation in women, as opposed to the compensatory role reported in men.

Cervilla, O., Álvarez-Muelas, A., & Sierra, J. C. (2024). Relationship between solitary masturbation and sexual satisfaction: A systematic review. Healthcare, 12, Article 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020235 

Cultivating relationship satisfaction to enhance sexuality in same-sex couples

The subjective orgasm experience and sexual satisfaction are two fundamental constructs of human sexual functioning, closely related to sexual well-being. The first refers to the assessment of orgasm from a psychological perspective and can be studied on the basis of four dimensions (affective, sensory, intimacy and rewards), while the second refers to the affective response that arises from the evaluation of aspects related to sexual relationships. To date, few studies have investigated the impact of orgasmic experience on sexual satisfaction, especially in same-sex couples, and this relationship has never been examined considering the couple as the unit of analysis.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, researchers Pablo Mangas, Juan Carlos Sierra and Reina Granados analyzed the dyadic relationship between both variables (i.e., how the subjective orgasmic experience of each partner affects their own and their partner's sexual satisfaction), also considering the mediating effect of relationship satisfaction. This study involved 104 same-sex couples (48 male and 56 female couples) with recent orgasmic experiences.

The results obtained indicate a dyadic influence of the affective and sensory dimensions of subjective orgasmic experience on sexual satisfaction only in male couples. In addition, sexual satisfaction is affected, especially in women, when there are discrepancies between the two partners between these same dimensions of subjective orgasmic experience (i.e., the greater the difference in subjective orgasmic intensity between the two women, the lower their sexual satisfaction). Finally, the study concludes that relationship satisfaction is a significant mediator between all dimensions of orgasmic experience and sexual satisfaction in both types of couples. That is, for subjective orgasmic experience to have a positive effect on sexual satisfaction requires the mediating role of relationship satisfaction.

The fact that relationship satisfaction acts as a mediating variable between subjective orgasmic experience and sexual satisfaction has a remarkable clinical applicability, since it offers clues for Sexology professionals to pay attention to relationship satisfaction when dealing with exclusively sexual aspects such as orgasmic difficulties or sexual dissatisfaction. In sex therapy, working with both partners is fundamental when dealing with sexual problems.

Mangas, P., Sierra, J. C., & Granados, R. (2023). Effects of subjective orgasm experience in sexual satisfaction: A dyadic analysis in same-sex Hispanic couples. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2023.2295960  

Does sexual double standard harm sexual satisfaction?

Sexual satisfaction, an essential component of well-being, is an affective response derived from sexual relations, although it depends not only on them but also on personal, interpersonal and sociocultural factors. Among the personal factors is included the attitude of sexual double standard (SDS), which refers to the different evaluation of the same sexual behaviour depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. The scientific literature shows that the SDS in favour of greater sexual freedom for men implies lower levels of sexual satisfaction in both men and women, while an egalitarian sexual standard would favour it.

A theoretical model of sexual satisfaction in the context of the couple, called the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS), has been validated in Spain. This model proposes that sexual satisfaction is explained by four components: (1) balance between sexual rewards (gratifying and pleasurable elements) and sexual costs (elements that require physical or mental effort, or that produce pain, shame or anxiety); (2) the comparative level between the expected sexual rewards/costs and actual sexual rewards/costs, (3) equality of sexual rewards and costs between the members of the couple and (4) relationship satisfaction.

In the absence of studies that analyse the relationship between SDS and the components of the IEMSS, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Vega Mateo and Juan Carlos Sierra designed a study that was published in the Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, with the main objective of comparing the components of the IEMSS between three typologies of SDS adherence (i.e., man-favourable, woman-favourable, and egalitarian) for two sexual behaviour areas (i.e., sexual freedom and shyness sexual).

This research involved 1,165 heterosexual adults (594 men and 571 women) from the general Spanish population. The results indicated differences in the components of sexual satisfaction according to the SDS adherence type. Men showed higher scores on equal sexual rewards in the egalitarian compared to the man-favourable typology for the sexual freedom area. Women had higher scores on the equal sexual costs component in the egalitarian compared to the man-favourable typology for the sexual shyness area.

These findings confirm the association of SDS with sexual satisfaction and show that the equality standard leads to greater sexual satisfaction for both men and women. They also reflect the relevance of the area of sexual behaviours in this association, with the sexual freedom sexual being more susceptible for men and the sexual shyness area for women.

Álvarez-Muelas, A., Mateo, V., & Sierra, J. C. (2023). Comparación de los componentes del Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction entre distintas tipologías de adhesión al doble estándar sexual. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, 14, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.23923/j.rips.2023.01.060 

Deciphering the keys to solitary sexual desire

Sexual desire is defined as the interest in sexual activity, either alone or with another person. Most research has focused on the latter, associating it with other dimensions of sexual functioning such as sexual arousal, orgasm, or sexual satisfaction. However, little is known about solitary sexual desire.

Therefore, Óscar Cervilla, Eva Jiménez-Antón, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Pablo Mangas, Reina Granados and Juan Carlos Sierra, conducted an investigation, published in the journal Healthcare, which focuses on the relationship of solitary sexual desire with the subjective orgasm experience and sexual arousal in the context of solitary masturbation. In a first study, conducted with 2,406 adults from the general Spanish population, they examined the relationship between solitary sexual desire and the subjective orgasm experience obtained through masturbation and, in a second study, conducted with 41 young people, they were interested in its association with sexual arousal experienced in a laboratory context in response to visual stimuli showing people masturbating.

The results indicated that while males reported more solitary sexual desire, females had more intense subjective orgasm experiences through masturbation. It was observed that solitary sexual desire was significantly associated with subjective orgasm experience and sexual arousal in the context of masturbation. Specifically, individuals who reported higher levels of solitary sexual desire also indicated higher levels of sexual arousal and a more intense subjective orgasm experience during masturbation.

This research concludes that solitary sexual desire is an important factor to consider when addressing the subjective orgasm experience and sexual arousal in the context of masturbation. The findings suggest that solitary sexual desire may be a significant predictor of the subjective orgasm experience and sexual arousal in this context, which may have important implications for the treatment of sexual dysfunction and the improvement of sexual health.

Cervilla, O., Jiménez-Antón, E., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Mangas, P., Granados, R., & Sierra, J. C. (2023). Solitary Sexual Desire: Its Relation to Subjective Orgasm Experience and Sexual Arousal in the Masturbation Context within a Spanish Population. Healthcare, 11, Article 1805. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11060805 

Seeking measures of sexual functioning unbiased by sexual orientation

Sexual functioning refers to an individual's ability to respond sexually or experience sexual pleasure. This response includes sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction. The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) is a widely used measure of sexual functioning because of its briefness, low intrusiveness, and ease of application, making it a very useful measure in the detection of possible sexual dysfunction. It is common to compare sexual functioning between different groups, for example, according to sexual orientation. In the gay population, differences in sexual functioning have been observed in comparison with heterosexuals, in addition to a higher frequency of sexual relations and a greater variety of sexual practices. However, in order to make such comparisons, it is necessary to have invariant measures between these groups, meaning that they do not distort the information they provide in favor of or against any of the groups.

Researchers Juan Carlos Sierra, Pablo Mangas, Alejandro Guillén-Riquelme and Laura E. Muñoz-García have recently published a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, which aimed to examine the invariance of ASEX by sexual orientation. In this work, which involved 1,600 Spanish adults (800 heterosexual and 800 gay people), the authors point out that ASEX was found to be an invariant measure in women with different sexual orientation, but not in men. Therefore, comparisons of sexual functioning by sexual orientation with this scale are not recommended in the case of men. That is, although the scale is assessing the same construct in both groups, the hypothetical differences found between them could be due to a bias of the scale itself. This could be explained, among other reasons, by the fact that the scale does not account for some important aspects of gay men's sexuality, such as relaxation or dilation of the anal area (essential for those who wish to engage in receptive penetrative practices).

This is interesting at the clinical perspective, since Sexology professionals should be in continuous training in aspects related to sexual and gender diversity and, in addition, because approaches such as LGBT Affirmative Psychotherapy are increasingly gaining prominence, so it is necessary to have access to instruments with sufficient scientific strength to assess different dimensions of human sexuality in people belonging to these minorities, and also because groups are usually compared on the basis of sexual orientation, without the instruments used having previously shown to be invariant in diverse populations.

In short, these findings show that the ASEX is a scale that provides reliable and valid measures of sexual functioning in both heterosexual and gay people, although it would be biased when comparing this construct in men of both orientations. The results of this study highlight the need to continue conducting invariance studies with the aim of validating instruments in the LGBT population.

Sierra, J. C., Mangas, P., Guillén-Riquelme, A., & Muñoz-García, L. E. (2023). Measurement invariance of the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale by sexual orientation: comparing the sexual functioning of gay and heterosexual individuals. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 20, 684-689. https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdad029 

Can the sexual attitudes of people with different sexual orientations be compared?

Sexual attitudes are evaluative beliefs that determine favorable or unfavorable responses to sexual stimuli. Depending on the object it refers to, sexual attitudes can be general (erotophilia) or specific (attitude towards sexual fantasies and masturbation). Erotophobia-erotophilia is the disposition to respond to sexual stimuli on a bipolar dimension of affect and evaluation, from a negative pole (erotophobia) to a positive pole (erotophilia). To assess it, the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) is used, which allows people to be classified as erotophilic (they value sex as pleasurable and seek sexual activity) or erotophobic (they value sexual activity negatively and tend to avoid it). To assess the positive attitude towards sexual fantasies, the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) was developed. Regarding masturbation, the scale that measures negative attitude towards masturbation is the Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory (NATMI).

Although there is evidence that sexual attitudes may vary among groups of people defined by sexual orientation, studies on the sexual attitudes of LGB people are still scarce. Most scales measuring sexual attitudes have been validated with heterosexual individuals. Studying the measurement invariance of instruments that assess sexual attitudes is relevant. This type of study makes it possible to describe and explain how the dimensions that make up the scales used to measure sexual attitudes (e.g., erotophilia, attitude toward sexual fantasies, and attitude toward masturbation) function, for example, in groups and collectives that differ in terms of sexual orientation. For this reason, Laura Elvira Muñoz-García, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal, Alejandro Guillén-Riquelme and Juan Carlos Sierra have published in International Journal of Environmental and Public Healtha used a sample of 2,293 Spanish heterosexual, bisexual and gay individuals to examine the invariance by sexual orientation of the Spanish versions of these three sexual attitude scales: the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS), the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Fantasy (HISF) and the Negative Attitudes Towards Masturbation Inventory (NATMI).

The results confirm that the measure of positive attitude towards sexual fantasies provided by this instrument can be compared across sample groups defined according to their sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual and gay). On the other hand, the results of this study indicate that both the SOS and NATMI scales are not invariant by sexual orientation, indicating that comparisons cannot be made between heterosexual, bisexual and gay individuals with respect to erotophilia and attitude towards masturbation. In the case of the NATMI scale, two of its items ("When I masturbate, I feel guilty" and "When I masturbate I feel disgusted") do not receive the same response pattern about the feeling of guilt associated with solitary masturbation behavior by heterosexual, bisexual and gay people, so these items are not comparable by sexual orientation. In the case of the SOS scale, no items are found that present a response pattern different from the rest that would explain the absence of invariance. However, it could be explained by the extreme response pattern towards erotophilia shared by heterosexual, bisexual and gay people, which interferes with the statistical analyses, since the invariance test needs a more heterogeneous response pattern to classify a scale as invariant. This pattern is found in the NATMI scale as well.

In conclusion, this study provides evidence of validity and reliability of the SOS, HISF and NATMI scales, as well as showing that attitudes towards erotophilia, sexual fantasies and masturbation are quite similar in heterosexual, bisexual and gay people. The analysis of these attitudes, closely related to sexual health, provides detailed insight into the possible causes of certain problems related to LGB people's sexuality and serves as a guide to their possible solutions."

Muñoz-García, L. E., Gómez-Berrocal, C., Guillén-Riquelme, A., & Sierra, J. C. (2023). Measurement Invariance across Sexual Orientation for Measures of Sexual Attitudes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, Article 1820. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031820 

Subjective orgasmic experience across context, gender and sexual orientation

Orgasm is described as a sensation of intense pleasure that produces an alteration of consciousness combined with changes in the pelvic musculature and the resolution of sexual vasocongestion, generally accompanied by a feeling of well-being and satisfaction. This sensation derives from both physical and mental stimulation during sexual activity, meaning that in addition to physiological factors it includes psychological and social aspects. These latter aspects underline the need to consider the subjective experience of orgasm which is the subjective evaluation of the sensations associated with an orgasmic experience. Studying the subjective evaluation of orgasm contributes to the understanding of sexual satisfaction.

Previous studies have shown that gender, understood as an individual characteristic that differentiates between men and women, is specifically related to the subjective experience of orgasm. For example, women report a more intense subjective orgasmic experience than men. On the other hand, sexual orientation appears to be another variable differentially associated with the subjective experience of orgasm. Specifically, in the context of sexual relationships, it has been found that the perception of orgasm is more rewarding for heterosexual men than for gay men and, in this sexual relationship context, orgasm is perceived as more intimate by lesbians than by heterosexual women. However, no previous studies have analyzed the subjective experience of orgasm in the context of masturbation by considering sexual orientation.

Most research has studied the subjective experience of orgasm in the context of sexual relationships, but not in the context of masturbation. However, evidence that solitary masturbation and sexual relationships may be complementary and mutually reinforcing behaviors emphasizes the importance of studying the subjective experience of orgasm in the context of solitary masturbation. Previous studies have shown that the subjective experience of orgasm is more intense in the context of sexual relationships than in the context of solitary masturbation.

The instrument known as the Orgasm Rating Scale was designed to evaluate four dimensions of the subjective experience of orgasm: affective (emotions experienced during orgasm), sensory (perception of physiological changes experienced during orgasm), intimacy (intimate aspect of the experience) and rewards (rewarding effect of orgasm).

Laura Elvira Muñoz-García, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal and Juan Carlos Sierra have studied the four dimensions of the subjective experience of orgasm, both in the context of sexual relationships and in the context of solitary masturbation, reported by heterosexual, bisexual and gay men and women. The study has been published in Archives of Sexual Behavior and was conducted with over 4,200 adults from the Spanish population. The results of this study show that in the context of sexual relationships, compared to solitary masturbation, the subjective perception of the affective, sensory and intimate aspects of orgasm is more intense. However, the dimension related to the rewarding effect of orgasm is perceived more intensely in the context of solitary masturbation. These results persist in men and in women, and in heterosexual, bisexual and gay people. Only in the context of sexual relationships a differential pattern was found between heterosexual men and women: women perceived orgasm more affectively, sensorially and intimately than men; and men had a more relaxing perception of orgasm than heterosexual women in the context of sexual relationships.

Regarding sexual orientation, heterosexual, bisexual and gay people report differences among themselves in the emotions and physiological changes associated with orgasm in the context of solitary masturbation; and in the physiological changes and rewarding effect of orgasm obtained in the context of sexual relationships. In these dimensions, the perception of the subjective experience of orgasm is more intense in heterosexual people than in gay people. In addition, bisexual people report a similar subjective orgasmic experience to heterosexual people. That is, they report greater intensity than gay people in the emotions and physiological changes associated with orgasm obtained in the context of solitary masturbation and greater intensity of physiological changes in orgasm obtained in the context of sexual relationships. The rewarding effect of orgasm in the context of sexual relationships was perceived more intensely by heterosexual people than by bisexual and gay people.

In conclusion, this study found important differences by context, gender and sexual orientation of the subjective experience of orgasm in each of its dimensions (Affective, Sensory, Intimacy and Reward), having previously demonstrated the measurement invariance of the Orgasm Rating Scaele. Therefore, the importance of considering both contexts (sexual relationships and solitary masturbation) when studying the subjective experience of orgasm and the need to approach its study from a gender and sexual diversity perspective is highlighted.

Muñoz-García, L. E., Gómez-Berrocal, C. y Sierra, J. C. (2022). Evaluating the Subjective Orgasm Experience Through Sexual Context, Gender, and Sexual Orientation. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 52, 1479-1491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02493-3 

Masturbation is associated with orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships

Masturbation is a healthy sexual behavior. Its positive aspects include its usefulness in the context of sex therapy to improve sexual functioning. Two models have been proposed to explain the relationship between solitary masturbation and sexual relationships: compensatory vs. complementary. The first hypothesizes that masturbation would be practiced to substitute desired but unfulfilled sexual relationships. On the other hand, the complementary model proposes a positive association between solitary masturbation and sexual relationships. Currently, it is known that the practice of masturbation favors different dimensions of sexual functioning such as orgasm in sexual relationships, however, very little is known about the role of different parameters of solitary masturbation in the orgasm satisfaction experienced in sexual relationships. Therefore, Óscar Cervilla and Juan Carlos Sierra have carried out a study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, with the aim of analyzing different parameters of masturbation (first experience, current frequency, negative attitude toward this behavior, solitary sexual desire and subjective orgasm experience in the context of solitary masturbation) in men and women, and examining their relationship with orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships, for which 738 men and 597 women were evaluated.

First, the results indicate that men, compared to women, start masturbating at an earlier age, report engaging in this behavior more frequently, and experience more solitary sexual desire. Women, on the other hand, have more intense subjective orgasm experiences through masturbation than men.

Some parameters of solitary masturbation were also found to be associated with orgasm satisfaction in the context of sexual relationships. Specifically, the affective dimension of the subjective orgasm experience in masturbation is a common variable in both men and women in explaining orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships. Moreover, in men, higher frequency of masturbation is associated with lower orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships, which would support the compensatory model. In women, in addition to the affective dimension of orgasm, a more positive attitude toward masturbation and higher solitary sexual desire are associated with more orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships.

These findings show the importance of solitary masturbation to deal with orgasm difficulties from sex therapy and research, considering different parameters involved in men and women.

Cervilla, O., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). Masturbation parameters related to orgasm satisfaction in sexual relationships: Differences between men and women. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, Article 903361. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.903361 

The sexual double standard in Spanish-speaking countries: A comparison between Spain, Peru and Ecuador

The sexual double standard an attitude that regulates sexual interactions by implying the evaluation of sexuality with different standards for men and women. Currently, the importance of comparing this attitude across cultures is highlighted in order to understand the degree to which societal norms may influence gender inequalities in sexuality. 

With this aim, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal, Denisse Osorio, Hugo M. Noe-Grijalva and Juan Carlos Sierra have carried out the first cross-cultural study of the prevalence of the typologies of adherence to the double sexual standard (egalitarian, man-favorable, and woman-favorable) for two sexual behavior areas (sexual freedom and sexual shyness). This work has been published in Sexuality Research and Social Policy. The study examined the differences between Spain, Peru and Ecuador, as these Spanish-speaking countries show differences in the evaluation indexes of gender inequality: Spain has higher levels of equality and a narrower gender gap compared to Peru and Ecuador. A sample of 2,229 young people between 18 and 25 years of age answered the Spanish version of the Sexual Double Standard Scale. According to their scores, typologies of adherence to the double standard for sexual freedom and shyness were obtained. The results obtained showed differences in the prevalence of adherence typologies for sexual freedom and shyness between the three countries, both in the whole sample and in the sample of men and women separately. In general, the egalitarian typology was more prevalent in Spain, the man-favorable typology in Peru and Ecuador, and the woman-favorable typology in Ecuador. These findings seem to coincide with the evaluation of gender inequality and gender gap indicators. In other words, Spain, with a context where greater equality and a narrower gender gap prevail, presented a higher prevalence of the egalitarian sexual norm between men and women. In conclusion, this work evidences cross-cultural differences in the prevalence of sexual gender norms. 

Also, their findings suggest the importance of studying the role of culture-specific socio-structural conditions of men and women in understanding differences in the prevalence of sexual double standard norms.

Álvarez-Muelas, A., Gómez-Berrocal, C., Osorio, D., Noe-Grijalva, H. M., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). Sexual Double Standard: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Young Adults Spanish, Peruvian, and Ecuadorian People. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 20, 705-713 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-022-00714-x  

How do men and women describe their orgasms within the heterosexual relationship?

The subjective orgasm experience refers to the evaluation of the intensity of the orgasm at a psychological level. In the context of the sexual relationship within a heterosexual partner, different studies have reported how this experience is associated to sociodemographic variables, as well as with sexual functioning and sexual health dimensions. However, no previous study had provided detailed information about the descriptions of the orgasm neither the descriptions have been ordered according to the frequency of the qualifiers most used to describe the orgasm in men and women.

In this line, a recent study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research, Ana Isabel Arcos Romero and Juan Carlos Sierra have examined how over 1,600 heterosexual adults from the general Spanish population describe the intensity of their orgasms creating rankings of the qualifiers most frequently used to describe the orgasm experience. To do so, voluntary participants have been evaluated using the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS), a measuring scale composed of 25 adjective items that describe the orgasm experience across four dimensions (affective, sensory, intimacy, and rewards). The results of the study show differences across sex in the global orgasm experience, showing women a higher perception of the orgasmic intensity. About the dimensionality, men show higher intensity in the rewards from the orgasm and women in the affectivity and sensory aspects, while in terms of intimacy there are no differences across sex. Regarding the rankings, in the results obtained it was highlighted that the first five adjectives of the ranking for men and those for women were exactly the same (pleasurable, elated, satisfying, exciting, and fulfilling), all of them belonged to the affective dimension. In both sexes, the least chosen adjectives belonged to the sensory dimension (i.e., trembling, flushing shooting, and wild).

Thus, the research concluded that the description of the intensity of the orgasm in the context of sexual relationship differ between heterosexual men and women, describing women more intensely the psychological characteristics of the orgasm. However, the first and last adjectives of the ranking that describe the orgasm experience are similar in both sexes.

Arcos-Romero, A. I., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). How do heterosexual men and women rate their orgasms in a relational context? International Journal of Impotence Research, 35, 164-169. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-022-00558-4 

Sexual activity in Peruvian adolescents

In short, these results show the importance of attitudes towards aspects of sexuality in the determination of the frequency of masturbation and sexual relationships in adolescents. Specifically, the role of specific sexual attitudes, especially a positive attitude towards sexual fantasies, is highlighted as a relevant variable for sexual health. This study provides relevant findings on the study of the frequency of sexual relationships and solitary masturbation in adolescents in the field of sexological research, education and clinical practice.

Sierra, J. C., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Arcos-Romero, A. I., Cervilla, O., Mangas, P., Muñoz-García, L. E., & Monge-Rodríguez, F. S. (2022). Sexual Activity in Peruvian Adolescents: Relevance of Socio-Demographic Variables and Sexual Attitudes. Children, 9, Article 386. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030386 

Sexual arousal in people with different typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard

Sexual arousal combines physiological, psychological, and behavioral processes. Its evaluation is focused on physiological reactions (genital response) and the person's assessment of this experience, through self-reported measures. In other words, sexual arousal would have a physiological or objective manifestation and a self-reported or subjective one. Sexual concordance is expected to occur - i.e., the agreement between the measures of both dimensions, the recording of the genial response, and the subjective assessment of sexual arousal. However, this does not always occur, especially in women. While sexual concordance is more frequent in men, in the case of women we find positive, negative, and no association between the two measures of sexual arousal. One explanation for these differences could lie in gender norms. Specifically, in the context of sexual behaviors, the attitude of the sexual double standard (SDS) stands out, which implies the different valuation of the same sexual behavior depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. The possible relationship of SDS with sexual arousal had not been analyzed until the study published by Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Juan Carlos Sierra, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal, Ana I. Arcos-Romero, Cristóbal Calvillo, and Reina Granados in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. This research aimed to examine sexual concordance in different typologies of SDS adherence: man-favorable, woman-favorable, and egalitarian. For this purpose, they conducted an experimental study at the Human Sexuality Laboratory of the University of Granada in which 104 young adults (42 men and 62 women) participated. The experiment consisted of the viewing of sexually explicit videos by the participants, while their genital response (erection in men and vaginal pulse amplitude in women) and their assessment of sexual arousal were recorded. The results indicated that men and women with egalitarian and mam-favorable SDS adherence typologies showed sexual concordance, i.e., there was a positive correlation between objective and subjective measures of sexual arousal. Moreover, in these two typologies self-reported sexual arousal had explicative capacity in genital response. This work provides evidence about the relationship of SDS attitude with sexual arousal. Moreover, its results are useful for the research and clinical areas by supporting the assessment of sexual arousal from self-report measures, but SDS adherence typologies should be considered for further understanding of the experience of sexual arousal.

Álvarez-Muelas, A., Sierra, J. C., Gómez-Berrocal, C., Arcos-Romero, A. I., Calvillo, C., & Granados, R. (2022). Study of Sexual Concordance in Men and Women with Different Typologies of Adherence to the Sexual Double Standard. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 22, Article 100297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2022.100297

Masturbation in people over 50 years old: taboo or indicator of sexual health?

In recent years, in much of the world, there has been an increase in the population of people 50 years of age and older. Culturally, it has been assumed that at advanced ages sexual interests and practices diminish or disappear. This fact could be more significant when we talk about masturbation. Although it is known to be a behavior that is practiced at all ages, its study has been slightly addressed in older people. A characteristic of masturbation in this age group is that it may be accompanied by negative feelings of guilt, as a consequence of the education received in a historical stage in which masturbation was condemned. This could influence the frequency of its practice and the subjective orgasm experience, which together with sexual desire, are relevant parameters of this behavior.

In this context, Juan Carlos Sierra, Jéssica Santamaría, Óscar Cervilla and Ana Álvarez-Muelas have carried out a study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research in which they compared different parameters of masturbation (age at first masturbation, current frequency, solitary sexual desire and subjective orgasm experience toward masturbation) among men and women over 50 years old, who had current sexual activity and had masturbation experience. In addition, they were interested in finding out which parameters could explain facility and orgasmic satisfaction in sexual relationships.

First, the results obtained indicated differences between men and women in the parameters of masturbation. Thus, men reported having had their first masturbation experience younger, current masturbation more frequently, and showing a more negative attitude towards masturbation in comparison with women. On the other hand, women experiencing orgasm obtained through solitary masturbation more intensely. Secondly, the facility and orgasmic satisfaction in the sexual relationship context could be explained by these masturbation parameters. In men, age, current masturbation frequency, and negative attitude toward this behavior explained 8% of the orgasmic facility, while age and negative attitude explained 8% of orgasmic satisfaction. In women, the affective dimension of the subjective orgasm experience in masturbation explained 11% of the orgasmic facility and 15% of satisfaction with orgasm in sexual relationships. Finally, it was found that people with difficulties in the orgasmic facility and orgasmic satisfaction in sexual relationships had less intense subjective orgasm experience in masturbation than people without orgasmic difficulties.

From these results, it is concluded that although men show a more negative attitude toward masturbation, they practice it more frequently, possibly due to the perception of this behavior as a substitute and not as a complementary form of pleasure; while women experience orgasm in the context of masturbation more intensely, as has also been described in the context of sexual relationships. Both the attitude toward this behavior and the frequency of its practice are variables that play an important role in orgasmic facility and satisfaction in sexual relationships. In addition, the association between the intensity of the subjective orgasm experience of masturbation and the orgasmic response in sexual relationships has been shown.

Sierra, J. C., Santamaría, J., Cervilla, O., & Álvarez-Muelas, A. (2022). Masturbation in middle and late adulthood: its relationship to orgasm. International Journal of Impotence Research, 35, 114-120. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-021-00520-w 

What is the relationship between sexual double standards and sexual victimization/aggression?

The increase in the number of sexual offences in recent years has brought with it the need to search for causes and risk factors. Sexual aggression has been associated with sexist attitudes, among which the sexual double standard could be highlighted. This attitude is defined as the different evaluation of the same sexual behaviour depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. The sexual double standard, which implies greater sexual freedom for men than for women, has been related to sexual aggression perpetrated by men against women and to the sexual victimization of women. However, the relationship between the different types of adherence to this attitude: man-favorable, woman-favorable, and egalitarian (which defends the equal standard for men and women) has not been studied to date. 

For this reason, Cristina Vílchez-Jaén, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, and Juan Carlos Sierra carried out a study published in the Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, whose objective was to examine the effect of sex and the typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard (egalitarian, man-favorable, and woman-favorable), in two areas of sexual behaviour (sexual freedom and sexual shyness), on different dimensions of sexual victimization and aggression. 

The results obtained in a sample of 264 men and 452 women with 18 to 66 years old revealed that sex had a significant effect, with an increase between 21 and 27.4% of experiences of sexual victimization due to being a woman, as well as an increase of 12.4-13.9% of sexual aggression experiences due to being a man. In addition, it was observed that men with a man-favorable of the sexual double standard, both in sexual freedom and sexual shyness, reported a greater number of rape aggression against women, with an increase of 10% to the other typologies. Given this evidence, the importance of considering the typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard in sexual aggression prevention and intervention programs is highlighted.

Vílchez-Jaén, C., Álvarez-Muelas, A., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). Analysis of sexual victimization/aggression through typologies of adherence to sexual double standard in general population. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, 13, 28-40. https://doi.org/10.23923/j.rips.2022.01.052   

The subjective orgasm experience in masturbation

Orgasm is a component of the sexual response that is an important indicator of sexual health and satisfaction. Traditionally, most attention has been paid to the physiological dimension of orgasm; however, recent research has begun to focus on its subjective dimension. The subjective orgasm experience refers to the assessment and perception of the psychological qualities of orgasm. This experience has been assessed in the context of sexual relationships with the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS). This instrument includes a list of 25 descriptive adjectives of the orgasm experience rated on a response scale from 0 "does not describe it at all" to 5 "describes it perfectly". These adjectives are grouped into four dimensions: Affective, referring to the feelings experienced during orgasm (e.g., Satisfying); Sensory, which alludes to the perception of the physiological sensations of orgasm (e.g., Throbbing); Intimacy, which collects items reflecting the intimate aspect of the orgasm experience (e.g., Tender); and Reward, which includes items referring to the rewarding consequences or effects of orgasm (e.g., Relaxing). There is limited information about the subjective orgasm experience in solitary masturbation, possibly because of the scarcity of valid instruments that can assess it in this context.

For this reason, Óscar Cervilla, Pablo Vallejo-Medina, Denis de la Torre, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal and Juan Carlos Sierra have conducted a study, published in the journal Psicothema, to validate the Orgasm Rating Scale in the context of solitary masturbation, examining its psychometric properties and analyzing its association with related variables such as sexual attitudes and sexual functioning.

This study confirmed the multidimensional structure that the ORS has in the context of sexual relationships, i.e., the four dimensions outlined above. The orgasmic intensity in masturbation was positively related to positive attitude towards sexuality in general or erotophilia, positive attitude towards sexual fantasies, solitary sexual desire, sexual arousal, orgasmic facility and orgasm satisfaction, and negatively related to the negative attitude towards masturbation. In addition, those with lower sexual functioning in their sexual relationships showed significantly lower orgasmic intensity in the context of solitary masturbation. Therefore, these results show that the Orgasm Rating Scale is a good instrument to assess the subjective orgasm experience in the context of solitary masturbation. Moreover, its measures are related to important indicators for sexual health such as sexual attitudes or sexual functioning. Considering the relevance of masturbation practice in the context of sex therapy, it would be interesting to consider this instrument as part of the orgasm assessment, and in particular, in the context of solitary masturbation.

Cervilla, O., Vallejo-Medina, P., Gómez-Berrocal, C., de la Torre, D., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). Validation of the Orgasm Rating Scale in the Context of Masturbation. Psicothema, 34, 151-159. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2021.223  

Subjective experience of orgasm in gays and lesbians

One aspect of orgasm that has received little attention is its subjective experience (i.e., how it is experienced from a psychological point of view). On the other hand, there is a tradition of leaving sexuality research on sexual minorities in the background, which makes it impossible to know the keys for them to enjoy healthy sexuality. There are scarce instruments that evaluate the subjective experience of orgasm, being exception the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS), recently validated in the Spanish heterosexual population, so it was necessary to validate it in the gay population in the context of homosexual relationships.

Therefore, researchers Pablo Mangas, Reina Granados, Oscar Cervilla, and Juan Carlos Sierra have just published a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, with the validation of the ORS in the gay population, presenting itself as an invariant measure by sexual orientation, thus allowing comparison between the gay and heterosexual population. In addition, it is presented as a useful tool to discriminate between gay people with and without orgasmic difficulties. The study involved 1,600 cisgender Spanish adults with recent orgasmic experiences in the context of sexual relationships (400 gay men and 400 heterosexuals, 400 lesbian women and 400 heterosexuals) aged 18 to 63 years. The results indicated that the structure of the ORS is invariant by both sexual orientation and sex. Overall, lesbians were found to subjectively experience orgasm more intensely with their partners than gay men. Heterosexual men subjectively experience orgasm more intensely in the Reward component than gay men, while lesbians experience orgasm more intensely in the Intimacy dimension compared to heterosexual women. While it is true that some variables, such as having/not having a partner, notably affect the orgasmic experience independently of sex and sexual orientation, others do not operate in the same way: in terms of age, the subjective experience of orgasm decreases more markedly in men, the level of education affects the orgasmic experience more in women, and the number of sexual partners and the way of reaching orgasm affects sexual minorities more markedly, especially in the case of men. Furthermore, this subjective orgasmic intensity was associated with positive attitude towards sexual fantasies and sexual functioning: arousal and satisfaction with orgasm were related to the subjective experience of orgasm similarly in gays and lesbians, whereas differential nuances were observed in desire, erection/lubrication, orgasmic capacity and positive attitude towards sexual fantasies. While in lesbians all psychosexual variables correlate with all dimensions of subjective orgasmic experience, in men no such consistent pattern is found. Finally, the scores obtained in three of the four dimensions of the ORS showed the ability to differentiate between gay men and women with and without orgasmic difficulties (people with difficulties show less subjective orgasmic intensity), and this could serve as a guide for treatment.

In short, these results show that the Spanish version of the Orgasm Rating Scale is a reliable and valid instrument to examine the subjective experience of orgasm in gays and lesbians, as well as to discriminate between men and women with and without orgasmic difficulties, which makes it a useful instrument for both research and clinical practice.

Mangas, P., Granados, R., Cervilla, O., & Sierra, J. C. (2022). Validation of the Orgasm Rating Scale in Context of Sexual Relationships of Gay and Lesbian Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, Article 887. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19020887 

Sexual attitudes are beliefs about sexuality that are expressed with a high emotional charge, which predisposes one to respond more positively or negatively to sexual stimuli or behaviors. These attitudes can refer both to sexuality in general - for example, the case of erotophilia - and to specific sexual behaviors - such as, for example, towards sexual fantasies or masturbation. In the field of sex therapy, it is usual to assess and address sexual attitudes. However, there is little research that has jointly studied the relationship of these two types of attitudes (general vs. specific) with sexual functioning (desire, arousal, lubrication or erection, ability to reach orgasm, and satisfaction with orgasm) in order to determine their relevance.

Therefore, researchers Juan Carlos Sierra, Jennifer Gómez-Carranza, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, and Oscar Cervilla have recently published a study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, which analyzes the explanatory power of general sexual attitude (erotophilia) and specific attitudes towards sexual fantasies and masturbation on the dimensions of sexual functioning (desire, arousal, lubrication/erection, ability to reach orgasm and satisfaction with orgasm). A sample of 2,000 Spanish adults with heterosexual orientation (52.2% women) and aged 18 to 83 years participated in the study. The results indicated that the explanatory models of sexual functioning were different for men and women, with a greater diversity of explanatory variables of sexual functioning in men. However, in both men and women, a positive attitude towards sexual fantasies stood out as the most relevant variable with the greatest explanatory capacity in all dimensions of sexual functioning. A more positive attitude towards sexual fantasies is associated with better sexual functioning, i.e., more sexual desire and arousal, better vaginal lubrication or erection, greater ability to reach orgasm, and more satisfaction with orgasm. On the other hand, the negative attitude towards masturbation was negatively associated with orgasm satisfaction, in both sexes, and erection in men, so that the greater the negative attitude, the greater the orgasmic dissatisfaction, and the worse the erection. As for erotophilia, as a general sexual attitude, it had no explanatory capacity in women, while in men it played a secondary role, facilitating erection and the ability to have an orgasm.

In conclusion, these results indicate that specific sexual attitudes would be more sensitive variables than the general attitude towards sexuality (i.e., erotophilia) in examining sexual health, with the positive attitude towards sexual fantasies being especially relevant, constituting a fundamental element in the understanding of sexual functioning.

Sierra, J. C., Gómez-Carranza, J., Álvarez-Muelas, A., & Cervilla, O. (2021). Association of Sexual Attitudes with Sexual Function: General vs. Specific Attitudes.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, Article 10390. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910390   

The recent theory of "Relational and Bodily Experiences Theory" by Cherkasskaya and Rosario (2019) indicates that women's sexual desire a multifaceted phenomenon. These dimensions comprehend aspects such as how women feel about their own body and the sensations they experience through it in the sexual context. Shortly, experiencing positive feelings about one's body and its ability to feel pleasure activates sexual desire, while experiencing negative feelings can reduce desire as well as interfere with various aspects of sexual functioning.

Researchers Nieves Moyano and María del Mar Sánchez-Fuentes have carried out a study published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy to analyze how different elements related to a woman's body and her feelings are related not only to sexual desire but also with other aspects of sexuality, in order to contemplate a more complete and integrating model of these elements.

In a sample of 278 women, they found that a woman's ability to obtain pleasure from her partner (expressed in statements such as "I would not hesitate to ask my partner for what I want sexually") is crucial to favor her dyadic desire, that is, her desire to maintain relationships with the partner. On the other hand, women who report a high capacity to satisfy their own sexual needs by themselves are the ones who carry out masturbation behaviors to a greater extent, that is, their solitary sexual desire.

This research also presents a main finding to guide the intervention in sex therapy, since two specific patterns of female sexuality are distinguished, that is, a dyadic context (with their couple) and a solitary context. In relation to the dyadic context, it is found that the ability to obtain pleasure from the partner, as well as greater body sexual self-esteem related to the body, are important for women to enjoy their relationships, feel more sexually satisfied, as well as favor their sexual desire to maintain relationships as a couple. In addition, these "empowered" women would be less likely to suffer pain during penetration and easier to reach orgasm. In this sense, therapeutic interventions should encourage greater awareness of bodily sensations and the eroticization of the woman's own body.

Moyano, N., & Sánchez-Fuentes, M. M. (2021). Sexual body self-representations, desire, and functioning in women. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 39, 202-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2021.1978422

The relationship between psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, etc.) and alterations in sexual functioning (loss of sexual interest and difficulties in sexual arousal or orgasmic capacity) is well known. However, few studies have been carried out in non-clinical samples, especially in young people, even though they may also suffer from sexual dysfunctions.

For this reason, researchers from the Laboratory of Human Sexuality LabSex UGR (Reina Granados, Ana I. Arcos-Romero, Cristóbal Calvillo, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, María del Mar Sánchez-Fuentes, Nieves Moyano, and Juan Carlos Sierra), in collaboration with researcher Franklin Soler from the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, have published an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in which they present the results of the association between psychopathological dimensions and sexual functioning in young adults aged 18 to 35 years old.

For this purpose, a research composed of two studies was carried out. In the first study, sexual functioning and psychopathological dimensions were assessed in 700 women and 516 men. Results indicated that, in both men and women, depression and anxiety-related symptoms had a negative effect on dimensions of sexual functioning (desire, arousal, and orgasm). In the second study, 143 men and 123 women of the same sample participated to determine whether psychopathological symptoms explained subjective sexual arousal which was assessed by an experimental task conducted in a laboratory setting. The task consisted of watching clips of explicit sexual content for the assessment of subjective sexual arousal and genital sensations. The results of this second study showed that anxiety was positively associated with subjective sexual arousal in men and women, also with the intensity of genital sensations in men. The differences in the results on the role of anxiety between the two studies could be explained by the fact that sexual arousal was assessed in general terms in Study 1, while in Study 2 arousal was assessed as a state when watching clips of sexual content This confirms the need to assess anxiety in depth by relating it to dimensions of sexual response.

Overall, the findings confirm that the presence of psychopathological symptoms affects the sexual functioning of young people, and it is necessary to strengthen mental disorder prevention programs that include sexual health content.

Soler, F., Granados, R., Arcos-Romero, A. I., Calvillo, C., Álvarez-Muelas, A., Sánchez-Fuentes, M. M., Moyano, N., & Sierra, J. C. (2021). Association between psychopathological dimensions and sexual functioning/sexual arousal in young adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, Article 3584. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073584   

Masturbation is a behavior present from childhood to adulthood, however, throughout history, it has been stigmatized from traditional and orthodox positions that have tried to instill a negative view about its practice. The impact of this behavior on sexual health has been extensively studied. Masturbation promotes sexual health, positive intimacy experiences, and self-knowledge and self-exploration, among other benefits. Despite this, recent studies still show that a negative attitude towards this behavior may persist in a minority of Spanish society. Despite the importance of masturbation in sexual health, to date, there have been no adapted and validated instruments to assess the attitude towards this behavior in the Spanish population. Therefore, Óscar Cervilla, Pablo Vallejo-Medina, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal and Juan Carlos Sierra carried out a study published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology to develop an instrument in Spanish to assess negative attitudes towards masturbation. The Negative Attitudes Towards Masturbation Inventory (NATMI) is an instrument originally composed of 30 items distributed in three dimensions (positive attitudes towards masturbation, false beliefs about the harmful nature of masturbation, and personally experienced negative affects associated with masturbation) that quantify the negative attitude towards this behavior. After a rigorous process of linguistic adaptation to Spanish, a version was obtained and administered to 1,867 men and 2,249 women, aged between 18 and 83 years. Psychometric analyses led to a reduced version of ten items (e.g., " Masturbation in an adult is juvenile and immature" or "I feel guilty about masturbating"). People with a more negative attitude toward masturbation indicated that they prayed more often and masturbated less. Besides, they had a more negative attitude toward sexuality in general and toward sexual fantasies in particular. They also showed greater sexual inhibition due to the threat of performance failure, probably because of a lack of self-exploration and self-knowledge as a consequence of masturbating less. Along the same lines, these people with a negative attitude toward masturbation, compared to those with a more positive attitude, reported having worse sexual functioning, i.e., lower sexual desire, greater difficulty with erection in the case of men or vaginal lubrication problems in the case of women, more difficulties in reaching orgasm, and lower satisfaction associated with orgasm. Also, its scores have allowed us to observe the impact of negative attitudes towards masturbation on important variables for sexual health. Finally, considering the therapeutic relevance of masturbation for the treatment of problems associated with sexual desire or orgasm, it is worth highlighting the usefulness of this scale to assess attitudes towards this behavior.

Cervilla, O., Vallejo-Medina, P., Gómez-Berrocal, C., & Sierra, J. C. (2021). Development of the Spanish short version of Negative Attitudes Toward Masturbation Inventory. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 21, Article 100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2021.100222 

Adolescence is a stage of growth and development of great relevance. According to the World Health at the onset of adolescence, adolescents are not fully capable of understanding the relationship between a behavior and its consequences, or of perceiving their ability to judge when making decisions related to their health, in particular with their sexual health. Thus, adolescents frequently perform risky sexual behaviors, that is, behaviors that increase the probability unplanned pregnancies. Unplanned teenage pregnancies can be considered a global public health problem due to the high impact on the present and future of these young people, as well as their possible offspring. With the goal to provide a greater knowledge about the factors associated with unplanned pregnancies among adolescents, Nieves Moyano, Reina Granados, Christian Durán and Carlos Galarza conducted a recently paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health among adolescents in Ecuador. The aim of their study was to analyze the relationship between self-esteem, attitudes toward love, and sexual assertiveness among pregnant and non-pregnant teenagers. We also considered whether their pregnancy was planned or not. The study was conducted with 225 women from Ecuador. We administered self-reported measures such as the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Love Attitudes Scale, and the Sexual Assertiveness Scale. Self-esteem was higher in adolescents with a planned pregnancy than in those women whose pregnancy was not planned. Pregnant women reported greater acceptance and endorsement of beliefs related to the myth of "soulmate" in comparison to non-pregnant women. Sexual assertiveness related to the negotiation of the use of contraceptive methods was greater in non-pregnant adolescents than in pregnant girls. We discuss the implications of our findings in terms of sexual education and prevention in the sex education field. This study shows differences in self-esteem, attitudes toward love, and sexual assertiveness between pregnant and non-pregnant adolescents. In summary, self-esteem, beliefs about love, and sexual assertiveness are factors that play a relevant role in the risk of teenage pregnancy. Specifically, women who did not plan their pregnancies have lower levels of self-esteem than those who did. Likewise, pregnant adolescents have greater beliefs in romantic myths, especially those where women idealize their male partners, and the role of the latter becomes predominant. Finally, sexual assertiveness was lower in pregnant women than in women who had not had sexual intercourse, and in others who were sexually active. These findings highlight the relevance of adequate sexual and mental health education in adolescents to avoid unwanted and/or unplanned pregnancies, as well as other consequences derived from risky sexual behaviors. Therefore, health education, and more specifically sexual health education, must take into account the reinforcement of self-esteem and sexual assertiveness in this age group. In the same way, it is necessary to apply holistic interventions (i.e., informative, educational, psychological, health, etc.) that help to demystify love based on a romantic and unreal perspective, which is still culturally preserved. Furthermore, it is necessary to study other individual psychological factors that, together with those studied herein, can provide more information about the reasons that favor the increasing number of teenage pregnancies.

Moyano, N., Granados, R., Durán, C. A., & Galarza, C. (2021). Self-esteem, attitudes toward love, and sexual assertiveness among pregnant adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, Article 1270. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031270

The violence that takes place in partner relationships causes physical and psychological harm. Its prevalence, especially high in women, has led the World Health Organization to consider this type of violence a global public health problem. Its consequences have been related to negative effects on sexual health. In order to provide greater knowledge about the association between intimate partner violence and sexuality, Juan Carlos Sierra, Ana I. Arcos-Romero, Ana Álvarez-Muelas, and Óscar Cervilla have carried out a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in which how relevant aspects related to sexual health are different between people who have suffered abuse in the context of heterosexual partnership and people who have not experienced this type of violence. In this study participated 3,394 Spanish adults (1,628 men and 1,766 women) with ages between 18 and 81 years old. The evaluated variables related to sexual health were sexual attitudes (erotophilia and positive attitude towards sexual fantasies), sexual assertiveness, and sexual functioning dimensions (desire, excitation, erection, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction). Groups of men and women were examined based on whether they had experienced psychological or physical partner abuse.

Results indicated that men and women that had suffered abuse (psychological or physical) showed lower sexual assertiveness to initiate desired sexual activities or to refuse unwanted sexual contact. Men who had experienced physical abuse reported lower assertiveness to prevent STI. It was observed fewer positive attitudes towards sexual fantasies in women who had suffered abuse (psychological or physical) compared to those without abuse experience. An explanation for this fact occurred only in women could be because, generally, men tend to inform more positive attitudes towards sexual fantasies. Nevertheless, no association between abuse experience and erotophilia was found. This result seems to indicate that specific attitudes (e.g., attitudes towards sexual fantasies) could be more sensitive to examine sexual health than general attitudes (e.g., erotophilia). Regarding sexual functioning, partner-focused sexual desire was lower in men and women who had suffered abuse (psychological or physical). However, higher sexual desire for an attractive person was observed in men who had experienced physical abuse and in women who had experienced psychological and/or physical abuse. It suggests that having experience of partner abuse would not mean the loss of sexual desire, but the promotion of sexual interest in other people outside the relationship. The study also showed a higher solitary sexual desire in men who had experienced physical abuse compared to those who have not experienced abuse. These results support the differences between men and women in this type of desire, such as the greater frequency of masturbation by men and traditional gender roles. It was observed less sexual excitation and orgasmic capacity only in women with abuse experience (psychological or physical). It reflects that the abuse experience has a greater impact on sexual functioning dimensions in women than in men. Men who had suffered abuse showed to have affected the subjective components of sexual functioning (desire and sexual satisfaction), but not the objective ones, such as the erection or orgasm. Finally, men and women who had suffered abuse (psychological or physical) reported less sexual satisfaction than those who had not suffered abuse.

As a conclusion, the experience of abuse both psychological and physical are associated with a clear impact on variables related to sexual health, such as sexual attitudes and dimensions of sexual functioning.

Sierra, J. C., Arcos-Romero, A. I., Álvarez-Muelas, A., & Cervilla, O. (2021). The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Sexual Attitudes, Sexual Assertiveness, and Sexual Functioning in Men and Women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, Article 594. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020594 

Sexual satisfaction is the subjective assessment that people make of their sexual relationships, being considered one of the most relevant manifestations of sexual health. It does not depend only not only depends on one's own sexual relationships, but also on other personal, interpersonal, and socio-cultural factors. A personal factor that has been related to sexual satisfaction is the sexual double standard (SDS), which refers to the different evaluation of a sexual behavior depending on whether it is performed by a man or a woman. Therefore, this attitude can be man-favorable (greater sexual freedom and less sexual shyness for men than for women), woman-favorable (greater sexual freedom and less sexual shyness for women than for men), and egalitarian (the same sexual freedom and sexual shyness for men than for women). The study of the relationship between sexual satisfaction and SDS has not taken into account these three typologies. Following the need for further research, the study by Ana Álvarez-Muelas, Carmen Gómez-Berrocal, and Juan Carlos Sierra (2021), published in Frontiers in Psychology, analyzed the sexual satisfaction in 1,194 heterosexual adults of the Spanish population who had been in a relationship and presented different forms of adherence to SDS (man-favorable, woman-favorable, and egalitarian). To do this, sexual satisfaction was compared between the different SDS typologies and it was analyzed the predictive capacity of personal variables (age, social dominance orientation,  and propensity for sexual excitation/inhibition), interpersonal variables (relationship satisfaction), and social variables (gender norms about sexual behaviors) in sexual satisfaction in men and women, considering the SDS adherence type and sexual behavior area (sexual freedom or sexual shyness). Firstly, the results of this study indicated higher sexual satisfaction levels in in those people with the egalitarian SDS adherence type. Secondly, it was evidenced by the influence of the personal and interpersonal variables have on sexual satisfaction, with variability in their predictive capacity depending on the SDS adherence type. Generally, it was found more predictor variables of sexual satisfaction of women in comparison to men. Among the personal variables, the most common variable in most SDS adherence types in men and women was age that is negatively associated with sexual satisfaction. Also, sexual inhibition due to threat of performance was positively associated in both genders; and social dominance orientation was negatively associated only in women. These last two variables had predictive capacity in shyness area, so it was in this area where more variables are predicting sexual satisfaction. On the other hand, relationship satisfaction, as an interpersonal variable, was the main predictor of sexual satisfaction positively, in all SDS adherence type. Social variables did not show the predictive capacity of sexual satisfaction. This study concludes by highlighting the importance of considering the attitude to the SDS that is, how the person internalizes gender roles in the sexuality area, as a variable to be taken into account in programs that promote sexuality healthily and pleasantly, as well as in therapy focused on sexual satisfaction in the couple context.

Álvarez-Muelas, A., Gómez-Berrocal, C., & Sierra, J. C. (2021). Study of sexual satisfaction in different typologies of adherence to the sexual double standard. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 609571. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.609571