Past Childhood Experiences Could Influence Sexual Satisfaction in Adulthood
When someone has a sexual problem, it’s not unusual for there to be lots of factors involved. There could be a medical issue, relationship strain, or miscommunication between partners. Sometimes, events that take place during childhood come into play.
Many sex therapy patients work through past childhood sexual abuse. But can other childhood experiences add to sexual problems? Recently, scientists addressed this in relation to sexual satisfaction in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
The researchers focused on what they called cumulative adverse childhood experiences (CACEs). While such experiences do include sexual abuse, they also include other negative experiences caused by adults:
- Physical abuse – slapping, burning, hitting, kicking, pushing, and shoving
- Psychological abuse – ridiculing, humiliating, making the child feel unimportant
- Psychological neglect – ignoring the child
- Physical neglect – shutting the child in a room for a long duration, refusing to provide food, clean clothing, baths, and medical care
Witnessing violence between parents (or caretaking adults) and bullying by other children also fall into the CACE category.
Three hundred seven people took part in the study. All of them were sex therapy clients and their average age was 38 years. Fifty-five percent were women. The participants were seeking help for a variety of sexual issues, including low desire, erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and problems with orgasms and sexual pain.
The group completed a number of medical questionnaires designed to assess CACEs (experiences before age 18), psychological health, and relationships. The participants’ feelings about their own sexual relationships were evaluated with a tool called the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSEX). Scores on this questionnaire can range from 5 to 35. Higher scores on the GMSEX mean greater sexual satisfaction.
The researchers found that 58% of the women and 52% of the men had at least four types of CACEs. Sexual satisfaction was similar for both men and women, with average GMSEX scores of 21 points.
The results could help sex therapists better understand their patients’ backgrounds, the authors suggested, noting that a “one-size-fits-all approach to sexual difficulty treatment, especially in CACE survivors, might not be optimal.”
They added that future research could concentrate on how CACEs affect the sex lives of couples as well as individuals.
Resources
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Bigras, Noémie, MA, et al.
“Cumulative Adverse Childhood Experiences and Sexual Satisfaction in Sex Therapy Patients: What Role for Symptom Complexity?”
(Full-text. Published online: February 12, 2017)
http://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(17)30061-9/fulltext
You may also be interested in...
Other Popular Articles
What Is Jelqing, and Does It Actually Work?
The term “jelqing” refers to a set of penis stretching exercises that some believe can make the penis bigger. Although the practice has gained attention and popularity in blogs and internet forums in recent years, there is no scientific evidence that it is an effective way to permanently increase the size of one’s penis. In fact, in some cases, jelqing may actually cause damage to the penis, so it is a good idea to get all the facts before setting off to try it.
What Is Sensate Focus and How Does It Work?
Sensate focus is a technique used to improve intimacy and communication between partners around sex, reduce sexual performance anxiety, and shift away from ingrained, goal-oriented sexual patterns that may not be serving a couple.
What Is the Average Penis Size?
If you have ever wondered how your penis compares to others in terms of size, you are not alone. Many men are curious to know how their penises stack up compared to the average. Unfortunately, general curiosity can sometimes give way to full-on obsession and anxiety about penis size. This can be an unhealthy and often unnecessary fixation, especially because most men who think their penises are too small have perfectly normal-sized penises.
What Is Edging and Why Do People Do It?
Edging is the practice of stopping sexual stimulation before reaching orgasm to prolong a sexual experience. The term stems from the concept of approaching the metaphorical “edge” of orgasm but stopping before going over the edge.
Can Sex Reduce Menstrual Cramps?
The SMSNA periodically receives and publishes ‘guest editorials.’ The current article was submitted by Mia Barnes, a freelance writer and researcher who specializes in women's health, wellness, and healthy living. She is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Body+Mind Magazine.
Having sex while you experience menstrual cramps is healthy and can provide significant benefits. While it might not be the first activity that comes to mind when your PMS or period cramping begins, many people enjoy sex to reduce menstrual cramps, experience increased pleasure and benefit from other advantages. Learn more about having sex while menstrual cramps are happening and how it can help your body.
The Sex-Positivity Movement: What it Means to Be Sex-Positive
You may have heard references to “being sex-positive” or “the sex-positivity movement” in popular culture. Various celebrities have brought attention to this movement by speaking out about their beliefs and personal experiences regarding sexuality, sexual health, body positivity, “slut-shaming,” and sexual assault.
