Women's understandings of sexuality, sex and sexual problems : an interview study.

Background
There are a paucity of studies that address women's own understandings of sexuality and
sexual problems. Much of the research and theory which underpin current diagnostic
criteria for sexual problems is based upon a set of sexual norms which are predicated
upon male experience. Moreover, these dominant understandings, entrenched in a
perspective that favours the material body, fail to take account of contextual factors of
women's experiences.
Objectives
Within a diverse sample of women: to examine understandings of sexuality and sexual
problems; explore the importance of sexual activity using their own definitions; and
identify the influence of wider socio-cultural factors upon understandings of sexuality
and sexual problems.
Methods
In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen women recruited from
the general public and ten women recruited from a psychosexual clinic aged 23-72 years.
Data analysis
Data were analysed thematically using the conventions of template analysis within a
material-discursive framework.
Findings
The findings of this study suggest that women's understandings of sexuality, sex and
sexual problems should be understood as bodily 'experienced' and socially and
psychologically mediated. Participants also appear to be influenced by the relational
context of their experience and draw upon a patriarchal explanatory framework to make
sense of their own sexual functioning and satisfaction.
Conclusions
This study poses a challenge to the recent drive to medicalise women's sexual problems
via the Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) label. The findings dispute current diagnostic
criteria for sexual problems which presuppose a highly individualized framework and
take very little account of contextual factors. Consequently, this study concludes that
such criteria need to consider biological, social, psychological as well as patriarchal and
historical factors in determining the meaning and importance of sexuality, sex and sexual
problems to women.