Katie Haus
Katie Haus (she/they) is a second-year Ph.D. student in Health Behavior who has recently been admitted to the dual degree program with Inquiry Methodology. Katie holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Hispanic Studies from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and a master’s in health Promotion from the University of Kentucky. Katie’s research interests include using holistic, critical perspectives towards various sexual and reproductive health behaviors in order to understand and support people's needs in qualitative-led, mixed-methods research including creative, applied, and intervention approaches.
“I Don’t Think There’s a Norm for Everyone”: Women’s Understanding of Sexual Function
Katherine R. Haus, MS; Julie M. Maier, PhD, MSW; Kristen N. Jozkowski, PhD, MPH, Indiana University
Background: Research on women’s sexual functioning (SF) commonly uses widely criticized measures like the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000), or frames answers within existing health conditions. This further medicalizes and pathologizes women’s sexual responses.
Objective/Purpose of study: Considering Fahs and McClelland’s (2016) call for researchers to revisit sexuality studies’ terminology, we examined women’s perceptions of SF, the difference from clinician and researcher ideas, and the influence of age and stage of life in functioning.
Methods: In total, 25 Southern US women with sexual experience (ages 21-68) were selected for semi-structured interviews. Participants were asked about their understanding of SF, their sexual experiences, and the FSFI (Rosen et al., 2000). Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed in multiple iterations using inductive codes (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
Results: Many women did not share scientific notions of SF, stating “…I don’t really know what that means.” Participants described more holistic SF than the FSFI, including interconnected psychological, interpersonal, spiritual, and socio-cultural factors. One stated “…I guess it just depends on stress. What’s going on outside the sexual situation?” Participants noted the psycho-social and physiological influence of age on experiences and understandings of SF, saying things like “I think your sexuality changes as you get older…”.
Conclusions: As notions of SF captured by the FSFI do not resonate with many women, it is important to question its continued use. We recommend clinicians and researchers ask individual women what behaviors and functions are normative to them instead of assuming universal experiences.
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